First India-bound tanker arrives after crossing Strait of Hormuz 

The first India-bound tanker to cross the Strait of Hormuz after the Middle East conflict began has arrived in the country.

The Liberian-flagged Shenlong Suezmax, which carried crude oil from Saudi Arabia, docked at Mumbai Port on Wednesday. 

The Shenlong departed from Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura port on March 1 and transited through the strategic waterway controlled by Iran.

Maritime tracking agencies last recorded its location on the Strait of Hormuz on March 8, NDTV reported.

The unloading of the ship, which is carrying 135,335 metric tonnes of crude oil, may take about 36 hours, according to the Hindustan Times.

Nearly 20% of the world’s oil passes through the Iranian choke point.

An India-bound Thai bulk carrier was reportedly hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday.

The arrival of the Shenlong comes as New Delhi invoked special legislation to ensure adequate gas supplies, which have been disrupted due to the conflict.

Indian officials have said that at present, 28 Indian-flagged vessels are operating in the Persian Gulf region. Of these, 24 vessels are located west of the Strait of Hormuz carrying 677 Indian seafarers, while four vessels are east of the Strait of Hormuz with 101 Indian seafarers onboard.

The Middle East conflict triggered by the US-Israel attacks on Iran and the latter’s retaliation has resulted in a virtual halt of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. About 30% of the oil India imports and 55% of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports are routed through the Strait of Hormuz.

On Thursday, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar had spoken to his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi about the safety of commercial shipping and India’s energy security, but did not elaborate further.