Strait of Hormuz technically open, but not operating: National shipowners’ body head | India News
New Delhi: The Strait of Hormuz is technically open, but commercial shipping is far from normal, according to Anil Devli, chief executive of the Mumbai-based National Shipowners’ Association of India, a nearly century-old body that advocates for much of the country’s shipping industry.With 14 Indian ships stuck in this chokepoint that funnels half of India’s crude oil and most of its LPG, the stakes are sky high. And Indian ships have previously been hit by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Debali said, bound to cause some hesitation among seafarers.Iran’s blockade continues despite a fragile truce even as the United States on Wednesday halted a three-day naval mission to open the Strait of Hormuz. “Technically, Hormuz is open. Ships are moving, but for commercial traffic. The risk is still immense,” Devley said. TOI Before the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February on Wednesday, thousands of ships were passing through the strait each month. But by April, the crossing had fallen to barely 5%.Ships stuck in the strait currently evade a deadly mix of sanctions, IRGC patrols and naval escorts. “We understand that some neutral-flagged ships are transiting with Iranian neutral permission or US protection”, but “normal traffic”, Devli said, has been stopped.The ships that are sailing are doing so on borrowed time and on borrowed trust—countries Iran considers “friends,” Chinese-flagged bulk carriers broadcasting their ownership over open radio, Pakistani ships, neutral-flagged tankers carrying cargo to neutral countries including India. As of Monday, even US-flagged commercial ships stayed away. And until very recently, a US-flagged ship had never crossed it.That changed on May 4 when two US-flagged commercial ships passed through Hormuz amid an Iranian blockade under the shelter of a US Navy guided-missile destroyer as part of Washington’s Project Freedom.When the first Indian ship went out, the second, the sixth, the seventh, the eighth—confidence was building. Then, two Indian-flagged ships were fired upon by IRGC boats on April 18: VLCC Sanmar Herald (2 million barrels of Iraqi crude) and bulk carrier Jag Arnav. An audio captures the Sanmar Herald’s radio appeal: “Sepah Navy! You’ve given clearance—I’m second on your list. You’re firing now! Let me back!”The incident prompted India to raise the issue of the safety of its sailors with the Iranian ambassador, but trust among Indian sailors—already fragile.“‘You’ve cleared me yourself,’ the captain was heard saying to the Iranians on the radio. That tells you the level of uncertainty that sailors on ships transiting the strait are dealing with,” Davley said. Weeks earlier, a Hong Kong-bound tanker burned after attempting a stealth transit — hit and burst into flames — with IRGC drilling cautioned for all traffic.There was a brief breakthrough over the weekend. The Marshall Islands-flagged MT Sarva Shakti, carrying 46,313 tonnes of LPG for Indian Oil Corporation and carrying 18 Indian crew, crossed the strait on May 2 and is expected to reach Visakhapatnam by May 13. It was the first India-bound tanker to pass through after almost two weeks of serious disruption due to the collapse of peace talks in Islamabad on April 13 and the subsequent US naval blockade around Iranian ports.At the height of hostilities last month, even operations at Gulf ports slowed dramatically. Shipping supplies, food supplies and basic services for Indian sailors and crew members across hubs including Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait were disrupted. That situation, Devli said, has since stabilized.India has so far facilitated the passage of eight LPG ships through the strait during the crisis through diplomatic engagement and close coordination between Iranian and Indian government agencies, naval authorities and maritime agencies. Indian flagged ships are currently operating under strict government directives and protocols to comply with restrictions.NUSI and the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) have advised Indian crews in the region to maintain heightened vigilance in Iranian waters and the Strait of Hormuz, avoid unnecessary shore leave, keep communication systems in place and regularly monitor advisories issued by Indian authorities.With shipowners paying premiums to keep crews aboard, war-risk insurance costs skyrocketed by as much as 70% — adding millions of dollars in additional costs per trip.For Indian ship owners, especially those on fixed-term contracts, the volatility is becoming financially painful.
