Indian-flagged oil tankers transit Strait of Hormuz, set to arrive at India ports

Three Indian-flagged crude oil tankers carrying over 8.6 lakh MT of cargo crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said. The vessels had 94 Indian crew members onboard and were headed towards India. Sonowal said the tankers were moving safely after the transit through the key shipping channel.

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The ships were identified as Desh Vaibhav, Desh Vibhor, and Sanmar Herald. Sonowal said all three vessels were en route to India after the passage. The minister shared the update in a post on X. The Strait of Hormuz is a major route for crude oil shipments.

Strait of Hormuz transit and India-bound tanker schedule

The three tankers were expected to reach Indian ports between June 24 and July 1. Desh Vaibhav was due at Vadinar Port on June 24. Desh Vibhor was likely to arrive at Sikka Port on June 24. Sanmar Herald was scheduled to reach Paradip on July 1, according to Sonowal.

Sonowal wrote on X: "3 Indian-flagged crude oil tankers, Desh Vaibhav, Desh Vibhor and Sanmar Herald carrying over 8.6 Lakh MT of cargo with 94 Indian crew members have successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz today and are en route to India, Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sonowal said in a post on X.\"

Strait of Hormuz access after US lifted blockade of Iran

The movement came after the United States lifted its blockade of Iran on Thursday. This step allowed oil tankers to move through the Strait of Hormuz again. The channel had been mostly unusable for months. Shipping began resuming soon after a deal took effect, linked to a tentative agreement to end the war.

Sonowal also wrote: \"Under the decisive leadership of Honble PM Shri @narendramodi ji, GoI is working on highest priority to secure Indias maritime interests. Our Ministry is actively coordinating with all relevant agencies to guarantee the absolute safety of Bharats seafarers and energy lifelines, he wrote.\"

On June 18, President Donald Trump signed an agreement with Iran Wednesday. The deal called for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. It also waived US-backed sanctions on Iran. The waiver immediately allowed Iran to sell oil freely, which was described as a major concession from Washington.

The tankers’ passage through the Strait of Hormuz was reported as successful, with the ships continuing towards Indian ports. The expected arrival dates ranged from June 24 to July 1. Officials linked the safer movement of shipping to the recent easing of restrictions on Iran and the deal that enabled more vessels to use the route.

With inputs from PTI