Nearly 38 Indian ships with about 1100 sailors are stuck in the Persian Gulf amid the escalating tensions in the Middle East, with Iran having shut the key oil and gas shipping route, the Strait of Hormuz. Many of the ships are carrying crude oil and LNG. Shipping authorities also confirmed Tuesday that three Indian sailors were killed and another injured in "attacks" on foreign-flagged vessels off the Oman coast.
India is the world's third-largest supplier of seafarers, after the Philippines and China. At any given time, nearly 23,000 Indian seafarers remain deployed on ships across the West Asian waters. Officials said on Tuesday that India remains deeply committed to the safety of its seafarers in the region.
Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal held a review meeting to assess the evolving situation, and instructed officials to prioritise the safety of Indian crew members. According to officials briefed in the meeting, 24 Indian-flagged ships are at present positioned west of the Strait of Hormuz, while another 14 remain east of the shipping route. The DG Shipping said in a statement that despite the tensions, Indian vessels have not been directly hit so far.
However, the broader conlfict has impacted Indian crew members serving on other ships. The DG Shipping confirmed that four incident involving Indian seafarers have been reported in the region - including three deaths and one injury. The sailors were working aboard foreign-flagged vessels.
Map showing tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz
The ongoing US-Iran conflict has rattled global shipping routes around the Strait of Hormuz. At least five oil tankers have reportedly suffered damage, with 150 ships currently stranded around the Strait.
The disruption has forced several global container lines to halt services, with many vessels being diverted around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope, increasing both travel time and operational costs.
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