LPG tanker carrying 20,000 tonnes of gas reaches Gujarat after crossing Strait of Hormuz, says report

AE. G. Marshall Islands-flagged tank driver carrying close to 20,000 tonnes of liquified oil gaseous state (LPG) has arrived at Kandla Port in Gujarat's Kachchh district, news agency ANI reported.According to the report, the vessel identified as the tanker "Symi" crossed the strategically significant Strait of Hormuz on May 13 before reaching the Indian port.The arrival of the LPG shipment comes amid heightened international attention on maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy transit route connecting the Persian Gulf with international shipping lanes.In India, fuel costs for migrant workers, community kitchens, canteens, roadside dhabas and industrial users have surged by over 47% as state-run oil companies raised prices of commercial liquefied petroleum gas by ₹993 per 19-kg refill and ₹261.50 per 5-kg cylinder about two weeks ago.Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cited an energy crisis, asking citizens to use fuel judiciously, as the US-Iran conflict has choked the Strait of Hormuz and the fuel supply lines.India-UAE LPG pactIndia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday finalised key agreements on defence cooperation, long-term LPG supply, strategic petroleum reserves and shipping, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned recent attacks on the UAE and pledged India will stand “shoulder to shoulder” with the Emirates.India has been critical of Iranian attacks on energy infrastructure and other facilities in the UAE amid the West Asia conflict, and Modi’s brief stopover in Abu Dhabi at the start of a four-nation European tour came on a day when a BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting hosted by India was unable to reach consensus on a joint statement because of differences between Iran and the UAE.At a meeting with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan — whom Modi referred to as “my brother” — the PM noted that the war in West Asia is affecting the whole world and said India has always given priority to resolving problems through dialogue and diplomacy. He also lauded the UAE President’s restraint, courage and vision in coping with the situation and emphasised that one of India’s foremost priorities was that the Strait of Hormuz remains “free, open and safe”.“India stands ready to provide all possible support for the restoration of peace and stability as soon as possible,” Modi said.Ensuring India’s energy security amid the disruptions caused by the West Asia conflict was one of the main aims of Modi’s visit to the UAE, and among the six pacts finalised by the two sides was a strategic collaboration agreement between Indian Oil Company Limited (IOCL) and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to explore the long-term supply of LPG, a cooking fuel widely used in India.Another MoU between ADNOC and Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL) envisages the potential storage of up to 30 million barrels in India’s strategic reserves. This includes ADNOC’s participation in facilities in Vishakhapatnam and the development of reserve facilities in Odisha, potential storage of crude oil in Fujairah, UAE, as part of India’s strategic reserves, and potential collaboration on LNG and LPG storage facilities in India.