Kachchh (Gujarat) [India], March 16 (ANI): Indian LPG carrier Shivalik, carrying a total of 46,000 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), reached Mundra Port on Monday evening. Of this, 20,000 MT will be unloaded at Mundra, while the remaining 26,000 MT is scheduled for Mangalore.

The vessel is carrying the liquid LPG ordered by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL).

Earlier today, addressing the Inter Ministerial briefing on Recent Developments in West Asia in New Delhi, Special Secretary at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, said that documentation and priority berthing have been arranged at the port to ensure no delay in the discharge of cargo of the Shivalik today.

The Shipping Ministry official further said that another Indian vessel carrying LPG, 'Nanda Devi', will arrive tomorrow.

The Indian-flagged vessel, 'Jag Laadki', which sailed from the UAE, carrying about 81,000 tonnes of Murban crude oil, is safely en route to India, Sinha said. The official said that all Indian seafarers in the Persian Gulf area are safe and no incident has been reported in the last 24 hours.

Consequently, there are now 22 Indian-flagged vessels remaining in the Persian Gulf, carrying a total of 611 seafarers.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar championed direct dialogue with Tehran as the most efficient method for resuming maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, as India seeks to protect its energy security amidst intensifying tensions in West Asia.

In an interview with the Financial Times UK, the Union Minister stated that New Delhi is currently engaging with Iran to facilitate the reopening of the vital waterway, which handles nearly 20 per cent of global oil trade.

He noted that these discussions are 'already yielding some results,' suggesting that India finds it more effective to 'reason and coordinate' with Tehran rather than disengage.

'Certainly, from India's perspective, it is better that we reason and we coordinate and we get a solution than we don't. While this is a welcome development, there is continuing conversation because there is continued work on that,' Jaishankar said.

The Minister highlighted the recent passage of Shivalik and Nanda Devi as a practical success of this diplomatic strategy. The tankers, carrying approximately 92,712 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). (ANI)