E-Paper
Kandla port ramp ups capacity expecting 22 vessels out of troubled Strait of Hormuz
The state-run Kandla port on the west coast is planning for a possible surge in inbound maritime traffic— up to 22 vessels in the next few days
The state-run Kandla port on the west coast is planning for a possible surge in inbound maritime traffic— up to 22 vessels in the next few days — and has been shoring up its facilities to handle these ships. This signals India is hoping for more arrivals of crude and natural gas amid a near shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Deendayal port at Kandla, one of the 12 busiest sea-trading hubs in the country, has been asked to take measures for quicker turnround times, smooth berthing and cargo flows as well as onward transportation, a shipping directorate official said.
More arrivals of crude and gas tankers will ease some of the mounting concerns over shortages in the world’s second biggest importer of oil. The country is negotiating with Iran for the safe exit of at least six more tankers hauling cooking gas and some of the traffic could berth at Kandla to avoid congestion elsewhere, the official said.
“We are preparing for increased traffic in the coming days. However, at this juncture, it is not possible to give details of their origins, routes or cargo due to operational security and dynamic situations,” Omprakash Dadlani, a port official said, separately.
All major ports in the country are preparing for various types of inbound traffic as India is diversifying imports due to the war in West Asia, according to the official. Authorities at the port are optimising operational gears to handle very large crude carriers (VLCCs), gas tankers and “reconfigured voyages”, a reference to re-routed vessels, according to the official.
Ports on the Indian west coast also expect more crude arrivals from the eastern Saudi port of Yanbu via the Red Sea and at least one vessel, the Liberain-flagged Kalamos, has been chartered for a voyage to the Seuz Canal from Chennai, the official said.
The preparations at Kandla, which has six oil jetties, come in the wake of intense diplomatic efforts to ensure safe passage of more India-bound vessels through the strait, where at least 18 ships have been struck since the US and Israel attacked Iran.
Iran, which sits just above the narrow waterway, recently allowed two India-flagged tankers carrying 92,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to pass the Strait of Hormuz, and one arrived on Monday.
Blockade of tankers in the Strait of Hormuz has triggered shortages and rationing of cooking gas in India, which gets 90% of its LPG from Gulf countries.
“Vessels which are a priority and still stuck include six LPG tankers, four crude carriers and one ship carrying liquefied natural gas. Ports are prepared to handle them if they return,” the official cited in the first instance said. Four of the LPG carriers were contracted by the Bharat Petroleum Ltd, while one each were chartered by Indian Oil Corp and Hindustan Petroleum Ltd, according to the shipping directorate official.
