Three Indian-flagged oil tankers carrying more than 8.6 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of cargo and 94 Indian crew members have crossed the Strait of Hormuz, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said on Friday.
The tankers — Desh Vaibhav, Desh Vibhor and Sanmar Herald — are expected to arrive in India between June 24 and July 1.
In a post on X on Saturday, June 20, Sonowal said authorities were coordinating with relevant agencies to safeguard India’s maritime interests and ensure the security of the country’s seafarers and energy supply routes.
Transit comes amid renewed tensions
The crossing comes amid uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that handles a significant share of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade.
The route briefly reopened after the United States and Iran reached an agreement on Thursday, June 18, aimed at ending months of conflict. Under the deal, Washington eased sanctions on Tehran, allowing Iran to resume oil exports, while Iran agreed to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
However, Iran announced fresh restrictions on movement through the strait on Saturday ahead of talks with US negotiators in Switzerland. Tehran said the decision was linked to what it described as Israeli violations of a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon.
