- India-linked LPG tanker Sarv Shakti transited Strait of Hormuz.
- First observed tanker crossing since US imposed shipping blockade.
- Vessel carried 45,000 tonnes of LPG to India.
- Transit highlights India’s energy crisis and supply challenges.
An India-linked liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier has successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz, marking a rare passage amid a weeks-long US blockade that has sharply curtailed shipping activity in the region.
The Marshall Islands-flagged vessel Sarv Shakti, carrying approximately 45,000 tonnes of LPG, was tracked moving into the Gulf of Oman after passing near Iran’s Larak and Qeshm islands on Saturday.
First Observed Crossing Since Blockade
The vessel’s journey is the first observed transit by an India-linked tanker since the blockade sharply reduced shipping activity through Hormuz to near zero.
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It is also among the largest carriers to complete an outbound crossing since a brief and chaotic reopening of the strait last month, when maritime traffic resumed temporarily before being halted again.
The tanker has previously operated between the Persian Gulf and Indian ports and is currently broadcasting its destination as India, along with details of an Indian crew, a precautionary measure adopted by vessels since the escalation of the Iran conflict.
Cargo, Ownership And Route Details
According to a report by Bloomberg, shipping documents indicate that Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is the buyer of the cargo. The vessel had entered the Persian Gulf in early February and received its LPG cargo through a ship-to-ship transfer off Dubai, though the precise origin of the fuel could not be confirmed.
Database records show Dubai-based Foresight Group Services Ltd. as the vessel’s manager, while ownership is linked to Zhe Yin Shan Zhou No. 4 Tianjin, which shares the same registered address.
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Energy Crisis Drives Urgency
The transit underscores India’s struggle to manage a severe energy crunch. As the world’s third-largest oil importer and second-largest LPG consumer, India has been grappling with supply disruptions caused by tensions in the Gulf.
Shortages of LPG have led to panic buying, long queues, and reduced consumption, forcing authorities to ramp up domestic production by around 60 per cent to 54,000 tonnes per day. Daily consumption has meanwhile dropped by about 10,000 tonnes to 80,000 tonnes, according to Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
The situation worsened in April when Iran briefly reopened the strait but subsequently fired on vessels attempting to pass, forcing many ships to turn back. One India-linked crude tanker, Desh Garima, managed to cross only by switching off its transponder signals.
Since then, traffic through Hormuz has largely stalled. India has managed to move eight LPG vessels through the passage during the conflict following bilateral engagement with Tehran and has been exploring alternative supply routes.
A full transit through the strait typically takes 10 to 14 hours, though electronic interference in the region can distort ship-tracking data. Some vessels may also “go dark” or spoof their positions to avoid detection.
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Despite the successful movement of Sarv Shakti, shipping conditions in the region remain uncertain, reflecting ongoing geopolitical tensions and the vulnerability of global energy supply chains.
The transit highlights both the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz and the challenges facing India as it works to secure critical fuel supplies under increasingly volatile conditions.
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