In its latest weekly briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs revealed that diplomatic engagement with Tehran has enabled 11 Indian-flagged vessels to exit the Strait of Hormuz over the past five days. Thirteen Indian ships—including two LNG carriers chartered by Petronet and several bulkers carrying steel coils—remain inside the Persian Gulf but are expected to transit “in the coming days,” spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. The update follows heightened military activity around the choke-point and growing fears that Iranian forces could restrict commercial traffic in retaliation for Western sanctions. Although ships transiting international waters do not need prior Indian clearance, any entry into India’s 12-nautical-mile territorial sea triggers mandatory reporting under the Merchant Shipping Act and port-state control rules handled by the Directorate General of Shipping. Ship-managers have already implemented higher onboard security levels (ISPS Code Level 2) and armed guards on certain routes. War-risk premiums for Gulf voyages have spiked from 0.5 per cent to as high as 1.8 per cent of hull value, according to brokers Marsh JLT. Indian exporters of fertilisers and finished petroleum products worry that further delays could tighten domestic supply chains and push up prices. The MEA reiterated that all 23,000 Indian seafarers working on foreign-flag vessels in Gulf waters remain safe. Nevertheless, the National Union of Seafarers of India has asked shipping lines to consider crew changes in Muscat or Salalah instead of Dubai and Fujairah, where hotel costs and wait times have soared. Trade compliance teams in manufacturing and energy companies should review charter-party clauses, force-majeure triggers and insurance limits as the situation evolves. Logistics planners are advised to factor in at least two extra weeks of transit time for cargoes that would normally transit the Hormuz corridor.
Source: India Shipping News
