22 Ships Stuck in Strait of Hormuz, Oil Supply at Risk

India is closely monitoring a growing energy supply crisis as tensions in the Middle East enter the third week. A briefing by Shipping Ministry Special Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha highlights how the situation is affecting India’s fuel imports.

Current Situation

Due to the ongoing conflict, the Strait of Hormuz has effectively become unsafe for commercial shipping.

• 22 Indian-flagged ships are stuck on the western side of the Strait

• 611 Indian seafarers are onboard these vessels

• Government confirms all crew members are safe and in contact with authorities

Stranded Cargo

A large quantity of fuel meant for India is currently stuck:

• Crude Oil: 1.67 million tonnes (~12.2 million barrels)

• LPG: 3.2 lakh tonnes

• LNG: 2 lakh tonnes

Some Relief: LPG Ship Movement

There has been limited progress in the last two days:

• Two LPG ships — Shivalik and Nanda Devi — crossed the Strait

• Shivalik reached Mundra port

• Nanda Devi arrived at Vadinar/Kandla port on March 17

Together, these ships carried about 92,000 tonnes of LPG, equal to roughly one day’s cooking gas requirement in India.

Why This Crisis Happened

The disruption began after US-Israeli strikes on Iran, followed by Iran’s threats in the region.

• The Strait is now considered high-risk for ships

• Shipping insurance costs have increased by 400–600%

• On March 1, a tanker named Skylight was hit near Oman, killing two Indian crew members

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Government Response

The Indian government says there is no immediate fuel shortage, but steps are being taken:

• Boosting domestic LPG production

• Diplomatic talks with Iran to allow safe passage for energy ships

• Action against black-marketing as panic booking of LPG cylinders rises

What It Means

The situation shows how dependent India is on global shipping routes for energy. If the disruption continues, it could impact fuel supply and prices in the coming weeks.