Last Updated:
India acknowledged structured coordination with relevant authorities, but did not disclose how ship movements are negotiated.
File image of Strait of Hormuz. (AP photo)
India on Friday said its shipping movement through the Strait of Hormuz is being managed through a formal coordination system, but key operational details remain classified for security reasons.
Opesh Kumar Sharma, Director at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, confirmed that India is working through multiple ministries and diplomatic channels to ensure the safe passage of its vessels in the strategically sensitive waterway.
The update comes amid the ongoing war in West Asia, where maritime traffic has been heavily disrupted since the outbreak of the conflict since late February. While India acknowledged structured coordination with relevant authorities, it did not disclose how ship movements are negotiated with Iran or other parties involved.
Coordination Through Ministries
Speaking at a routine inter-ministerial briefing on Friday, Sharma said India follows a coordinated mechanism involving the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and Ministry of Fertilizers to decide vessel priorities.
He said decisions on which ships move first are made internally through this system, but declined to share further details, citing security concerns.
“In terms of how we coordinate with India, Iran, how do we decide the priority, I would not like to, you know, tell you how we coordinate for obvious reasons,” Sharma said.
13 Indian Ships Still In Persian Gulf
Sharma also said there are around 13 Indian-flagged vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. These include one LPG tanker, five crude oil tankers, one chemical tanker, three container ships, two bulk carriers and one dredger.
He confirmed that crude oil tanker Nissos Keros, carrying around 270,000 metric tonnes of crude oil, successfully transited the Strait on May 25–26 and is expected to reach Visakhapatnam on June 3.
The shipping ministry director added that commercial ship tracking systems remain publicly available and are widely used, including for monitoring vessel movement in the region.
“It’s very difficult to answer that. Any data which is public domain can be used either way by the person. It depends on his intention,” he said, adding that such data is currently helping tracking efforts.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most sensitive shipping routes, linking major oil and gas suppliers to global markets. Since the outbreak of the war following US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Tehran has effectively restricted access to the waterway, and maritime traffic has dropped by more than 90 percent. This has led to a global energy shock, with energy prices spiking worldwide.
For India, about 30% of its crude oil imports and roughly 70% of its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) imports.
(With inputs from agencies)
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]
