New Delhi: In a critical breakthrough for India’s energy security, two Indian-flagged LPG tankers, the BW TYR and BW ELM, successfully navigated the conflict-ridden Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, March 29, 2026. The vessels are carrying a combined cargo of approximately 94,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), equivalent to nearly a full day’s national supply. According to an official statement, the BW TYR is expected to dock in Mumbai by March 31, while the BW ELM is scheduled to reach New Mangalore on April 1. This successful passage follows a diplomatic window opened by Tehran, which recently announced that “non-hostile vessels” could transit the waterway after coordination with Iranian authorities.
The arrival of these tankers provides a vital reprieve as India battles its most severe LPG shortage in decades. The nation relies on imports for roughly 60% of its cooking gas needs, with nearly 90% of those imports traditionally sourced from the Gulf region. To mitigate the impact of the near-total shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz due to the ongoing U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict, India has increasingly turned to alternative suppliers in the United States and Argentina. These two latest arrivals bring the total number of Indian LPG tankers to have safely cleared the strait since the crisis began to six, following the successful docking of the Pine Gas, Jag Vasant, MT Shivalik, and MT Nanda Devi earlier this month.
The Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) confirmed that 18 Indian-flagged vessels and 485 seafarers remain in the western Persian Gulf region. Since the outbreak of hostilities, the government has facilitated the safe repatriation of over 942 Indian seafarers. While the LPG carriers Jag Vikram, Green Asha, and Green Sanvi are still positioned within the western strait, port operations across India’s coastline remain normal with no reported congestion. The 24-hour DG Shipping control room continues to monitor the remaining fleet closely as the government prioritizes the steady flow of energy supplies amid the volatile geopolitical landscape.
