15 Indian-flagged vessels stranded in Strait of Hormuz

The ministry of ports, shipping and waterways and the ministry of external affairs are in coordination to bring back a total of 15 Indian-flagged vessels stranded at the Strait of Hormuz.

Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing on Monday, ministry of ports, shipping and waterways additional secretary Mukesh Mangal said, "We, in coordination with MEA, are trying, putting our efforts to bring our vessels back. And as soon as it is possible for our vessels to sail from the Strait of Hormuz, those vessels will come back. At present, a total of 15 Indian-flagged and Indian-owned vessels are there."

Meanwhile, the Indian-flagged vessel 'Jag Vikram', carrying 20,400 metric tonnes of LPG, is likely to arrive at Kandla, Gujarat, on April 14.

Mukesh Mangal said that the vessel with 24 seafarers on board crossed the Strait of Hormuz on April 11.

The transit marks a breakthrough for New Delhi, as it is the first Indian ship to navigate the strategic corridor after the announcement of a 14-day ceasefire between the US and Iran, aimed at cooling regional hostilities and restoring essential maritime trade routes.

The additional secretary further provided a reassuring update on the status of vessels and crew members in the Gulf region, highlighting that no incident has been reported involving Indian vessels in the past 24 hours. -- ANI