The United States and Iran reached a two-week truce just before President Donald Trump’s ultimatum deadline, with Tehran agreeing to temporarily reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump deemed Iran’s 10-point plan as a viable foundation for discussions, with further details expected to emerge during their upcoming meeting in Islamabad later this week.
The primary concern now is whether the water passage has truly reopened. Following the ceasefire, there were minimal indications of a return to normal traffic flow through the chokepoint.
India Today monitored the status of Indian oil and gas vessels stuck in the hazardous waters. Around 20 Indian-flagged ships, including 2 LPG tankers and 4 crude oil tankers, are still situated in the western region of the Hormuz, according to India Today’s analysis.
Comparing vessel positions from March 12 to April 8 reveals that several Indian ships have gradually shifted eastward from the western Persian Gulf towards the Strait of Hormuz. Many are currently positioned near Khasab, forming a dispersed group awaiting clearance to transit the chokepoint.
The two LPG tankers, BW Loyalty and Jag Vikram, have deadweight capacities of 55,056 tonnes and 26,427 tonnes, respectively. As for the four crude oil tankers—Desh Vaibhav, Desh Suraksha, Desh Vibhor, and Desh Garima—their capacities range from 114,783 tonnes to 316,635 tonnes.
India Today estimated the remaining LPG and crude oil quantities near Hormuz, translating them into equivalent volumes of LPG cylinders and oil barrels. The vessels could potentially supply nearly 48 lakh domestic LPG cylinders collectively.
Regarding crude oil, India Today approximated the cargo and barrel equivalents for the four crude tankers still present near Hormuz. The crude carried by these tankers serves as raw material for refineries, where it is processed into various petroleum products for consumption in homes, transportation, and industries.
In light of the truce and vessel transit through the Strait of Hormuz, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that several ships have already passed through the chokepoint, with ongoing communication among involved stakeholders. Efforts are underway to repatriate Indian ships promptly.
Eight LPG tankers and several crude oil tankers, along with other vessels, have successfully crossed the Strait following negotiations between the Indian and Iranian governments. While some vessels are en route to their destinations, the passage of two specific vessels does not conclusively indicate a broad reopening of the Strait due to their direct ties to Iranian trade.