Representational image (Photo: IANS)
New Delhi: All Indian seafarers in the Middle East region are safe, and no shipping incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said on Wednesday, March 18.
At present, 22 Indian-flagged vessels with 611 Indian seafarers remain in the western Persian Gulf region, with the Directorate General of Shipping continuing close monitoring in coordination with ship owners, RPSL agencies and Indian Missions, a ministry statement said.
LPG carrier vessels Shivalik and Nanda Devi, which have returned from the Middle East, are currently discharging cargo as per the schedule of oil handling companies.
The DG Shipping control room continues to operate 24×7 and has handled 3,305 calls and 6,324 emails since activation, including 125 calls and 449 emails in the past 24 hours.
The safe repatriation of more than 472 Indian seafarers so far, including 25 in the past 24 hours, from airports and regional locations, has been facilitated, according to the statement.
India’s maritime sector continues to operate smoothly with no congestion reported at ports, including confirmation from State Maritime Boards such as Gujarat and Maharashtra, the statement said.
Ports are closely monitoring vessel movements and cargo operations and have adequate spare capacity, with additional storage space created, including around 2,260 square metres at Visakhapatnam Port Authority.
At the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) , the situation remains normal with the number of stranded containers reducing further from about 1,000 to around 770. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways continues to monitor shipping movements, port operations, safety of seafarers and continuity of maritime trade in view of the evolving situation in West Asia, the statement added.
Meanwhile, flight operations are gradually improving with additional services being introduced between India and the Middle East region, according to an official statement. In the UAE, around 70 flights operated on March 17 and about 75 flights are expected today to various destinations in India.
Over 50 flights have been operating daily since 5 March 2026, indicating improved connectivity. Flights continue to operate from Saudi Arabia and Oman to India.
The Qatar airspace remains partially open, with 5 flights operated on Tuesday and services to nine Indian destinations announced from Wednesday However, the Kuwait airspace has remained closed since February 28. Special non-scheduled flights by Jazeera Airways are expected from Al Qaisumah Airport in Saudi Arabia.
This post was last modified on March 18, 2026 9:05 pm