Three Indian Oil Tankers Cross Strait of Hormuz in Single Day, Marking Highest Transit Since Conflict Eased
NEW DELHI — Three Indian-flagged tankers successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, carrying a combined 8.6 lakh tonnes of crude oil. The vessels—Desh Vaibhav, Desh Vibhor, and Sanmar Herald—represent the highest number of Indian ships to transit the strategic waterway in a single day since the escalation of hostilities in West Asia on February 28.
Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed that the ships together carried 94 Indian crew members. “The government is working on the highest priority to secure India’s maritime interests and guarantee the safety of seafarers and energy lifelines,” he said.
With this transit, a total of 18 India-bound vessels—13 Indian and five foreign-flagged—have now crossed the route since tensions spiked. One of the ships, Sanmar Herald, had been attacked by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on April 18 during a previous attempt to transit the strait after reportedly receiving clearance. It is now scheduled to reach Paradip port on July 1, according to a shipping ministry official.
The movement comes after the United States officially ended its blockade of Iranian ports, and Tehran eased restrictions on vessel movements following a peace deal between the two countries. Ship tracking portal Marinetraffic showed two more India-bound ships—the container carrier SSL Kaveri and crude carrier Desh Suraksha—waiting near the strait.
Despite these crossings, 31 India-bound ships remain stuck in the Persian Gulf, including 16 loaded with fertiliser. Officials expressed cautious optimism. “We are hopeful of India-bound ships safely transiting the strait. That will bring huge relief to hundreds of our seafarers who have been stuck for over three months,” said an official.
Desh Vaibhav is scheduled to reach Vadinar in Gujarat on June 24, and Desh Vibhor is estimated to arrive at Sikka, Gujarat, on the same day. On Thursday alone, 25 commercial vessels crossed the reopened Strait of Hormuz—the highest daily number since mid-April, signalling a gradual return to normal traffic.
