8 Indian ships pass through Strait of Hormuz even as Iran tightens maritime controls

New Delhi, April 5. As Iran stepped up control over the Strait of Hormuz following the February 28 US-Israeli strikes, global fuel supply chains have come under strain. Maritime tracking data indicates that nearly 60 percent of commodity-carrying vessels transiting the narrow passage were either bound for Iran or had originated there, underscoring Tehran’s leverage over one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes.

Despite the heightened tensions and what amounts to a selective maritime blockade, India has remained among the most active users of the route. Since the conflict began, at least eight Indian-linked vessels have successfully navigated the strait, including multiple LPG carriers moving essential energy cargo.

Two large LPG carriers – BW TYR and BW ELM – safely crossed the conflict zone with a combined LPG load of around 94,000 tonnes.

Indian vessels that transited safely

Four Indian-flagged LPG tankers made successful passages between March 16 and March 28:

• MT Shivalik reached Mundra Port on March 16 with about 92,712 tonnes of LPG
• MT Nanda Devi arrived at Kandla Port on March 17 with a similar cargo
• Pine Gas and Jag Vasant delivered 92,612 tonnes of LPG to India between March 26 and 28

In addition, Indian-flagged crude tanker Jag Laadki brought 80,886 tonnes of oil from the UAE to Mundra on March 18, while Jag Prakash, carrying gasoline from Oman to Africa, had earlier crossed the strait without incident.

Another LPG carrier, Green Sanvi, transited the strait on Friday night with roughly 46,650 metric tonnes of cargo.

The Indian Navy maintained warships on standby to assist merchant vessels if required.

Diplomatic coordination with Tehran

The Indian government has been in communication with Iranian authorities to ensure safe passage for its vessels through the strait amid the maritime restrictions triggered by the conflict.

Earlier, Iran informed member states of the International Maritime Organisation that “non-hostile vessels” would be allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz provided they cooperated with Iranian directives. Tehran clarified that ships linked to the US, Israel, or what it termed “participants in the aggression” would not qualify for such passage.

Threat to expand pressure to another chokepoint

The situation could escalate further. A senior Iranian lawmaker has suggested that Tehran may consider exerting pressure at another vital maritime artery – the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

In a series of posts on X, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, highlighted the world’s dependence on the Bab el-Mandeb route for shipments of oil, LNG, food grains, and fertilisers, raising questions about which countries and companies rely most heavily on the passage.

With the conflict now entering its sixth week, the security of global maritime chokepoints remains a central concern for energy markets and international trade.