Story perspectives

India's LPG Tanker Clears Hormuz, Lifts Output Amid Tensions

5/3/2026

Summary

Sarv Shakti Clears Strait

MT Sarv Shakti cleared the Strait of Hormuz on May 2, 2026, carrying 46,313 tonnes of LPG and scheduled to reach Visakhapatnam on May 13, 2026.
Its 20-person crew includes 18 Indians, while thirteen Indian-flagged vessels stay stranded west of the strait.
India lifted LPG output to about 54,000 tonnes per day as consumption fell to 80,000 tonnes, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, amid Iran-U.S. tensions that have limited strait traffic since late February 2026.

Summary

Helga Transits Hormuz

The Comoros-flagged VLCC Kin A (Helga) transited the Strait of Hormuz on April 29 carrying roughly 1 million barrels of Basra crude.
Iraqi Navy officials confirmed Helga’s arrival at Basra on April 24 with a crew of 30.
Helga was the second non-Iranian VLCC after a Greek-owned Malta-flagged tanker, with only two Chinese vessels and one Iranian asphalt ship leaving the Gulf between May 1-2 via Iran’s narrow northern lane.

History

Historical Context

Since Iran first threatened to block the Hormuz waterway during the 2011-12 dispute, the strait—through which roughly 20 % of world oil (about 20 million barrels daily) flows—has been a recurring pressure point. The 2026 Iran-Israel-U.S. war triggered a full closure, slashing traffic by up to 70 %. Today, limited passages by MT Sarv Shakti and VLCC Kin A signal a tentative reopening.

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Sarv Shakti Clears Strait

MT Sarv Shakti cleared the Strait of Hormuz on May 2, 2026, carrying 46,313 tonnes of LPG and scheduled to reach Visakhapatnam on May 13, 2026.
Its 20-person crew includes 18 Indians, while thirteen Indian-flagged vessels stay stranded west of the strait.
India lifted LPG output to about 54,000 tonnes per day as consumption fell to 80,000 tonnes, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, amid Iran-U.S. tensions that have limited strait traffic since late February 2026.

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