New Delhi: A 54,000-tonne capacity Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC), owned by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) has arrived at Mundra port on Monday evening with LPG, said the Petroleum Ministry. At an inter-ministerial media briefing earlier in the day, government official informed reporters that alongwith Shivalik, another vessel, Nanda Devi is expected to arrive in India on March 17. The two vessels are carrying around 92,712 MT of LPG.
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Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said during the briefing, “Of the two Indian-flag LPG carriers that crossed the Strait of Hormuz on March 14 carrying about 92,712 MT of LPG, vessel Shivalik is scheduled to berth at Mundra Port around 1700 hrs today with documentation completed to ensure priority discharge.” He added that “... vessel Nanda Devi is expected to reach early tomorrow morning.”
Sinha also said the Indian-flag vessel Jag Laadki, carrying about 80,800 MT of Murban crude oil, sailed from the UAE on March 14 and is safely en route to India, adding that the vessel and all Indian seafarers onboard are safe.
The update was shared during a briefing at the National Media Centre as the government continues to monitor developments in West Asia and their implications for India’s energy supplies and maritime operations.
Providing an update on the fuel supply situation, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said the government is closely monitoring inventories and refinery operations following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
“All refineries are operating at high capacity and maintaining adequate crude oil inventories,” Sharma said, adding that India remains self-sufficient in petrol and diesel production and does not require imports of these fuels to meet domestic demand.
According to Sharma, no cases of fuel dry-outs have been reported at retail outlets, and supplies of petrol and diesel continue to be maintained regularly. She advised citizens not to resort to panic buying, stating that adequate stocks of petrol and diesel are available across the country.
Sharma said the government has protected natural gas supply for priority sectors. “Priority sectors continue to receive protected gas supplies, including 100 percent supply to PNG and CNG, while supplies to industrial and commercial consumers are being regulated at around 80 percent,” she said.
Commercial LPG users in urban areas are being encouraged to shift to piped natural gas (PNG), particularly where pipeline networks are already in place. Hotels, restaurants, hospitals and hostels can obtain PNG connections through authorised city gas distribution companies, she said, adding that consumers can apply through email, customer portals, letters or call centres.
Several CGD companies are also offering incentives to promote PNG adoption. These include free gas worth Rs 500 offered by Indraprastha Gas Ltd and GAIL Gas Ltd, waiver of Rs 500 registration charges and security deposits by Mahanagar Gas Ltd, and waiver of security deposits for commercial connections by BPCL.
Sharma said the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has advised CGD entities to accelerate deployment of resources and reduce timelines for supply commencement.
The government has also stepped up domestic LPG output to support supplies during the crisis. “Domestic LPG production from refineries has been increased by about 36 percent,” Sharma said. She added that no dry-outs have been reported at LPG distributorships across the country. Online bookings for LPG cylinders have also increased significantly. According to Sharma, “online LPG cylinder bookings have increased from about 84 percent to around 90 percent across the industry.”
To prevent diversion of LPG cylinders, Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) coverage has expanded from 53 percent before the crisis to about 72 percent.
The government has also taken several policy steps to ensure equitable LPG distribution. Under the LPG Control Order amendment dated March 14, consumers who already have PNG connections are required to surrender domestic LPG connections and cannot obtain new LPG connections. Booking intervals have also been revised to 25 days in urban areas and up to 45 days in rural areas.
Sharma said the government has also provided an additional 48,000 KL of kerosene allocation to states and union territories, while alternative fuels such as kerosene and coal are being made available to reduce pressure on LPG demand. Several states and union territories including Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Manipur and Maharashtra have issued orders to allocate non-domestic LPG in line with government guidelines.
State governments and union territories have stepped up enforcement actions to prevent hoarding and black marketing of fuel. Raids are being conducted in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Mizoram to check hoarding and black marketing of LPG.
Officials from PSU oil marketing companies have also carried out surprise inspections at more than 1,100 retail outlets and LPG distributorships to ensure smooth supplies and prevent irregularities.
Sinha said India’s maritime authorities are closely monitoring the situation in the Persian Gulf region. “All Indian seafarers in the region are safe and no shipping incident involving Indian seafarers has been reported in the past 24 hours,” he said.
At present, 22 Indian-flagged vessels with 611 seafarers remain west of the Persian Gulf region, with the Directorate General of Shipping coordinating with ship owners, recruitment agencies and Indian missions.
Sharma said the government’s priority remains ensuring uninterrupted LPG supplies, particularly for households and essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions. Citizens have been advised not to panic or resort to unnecessary LPG bookings, and to use digital platforms such as IVRS, SMS, WhatsApp, mobile applications of oil marketing companies and e-commerce platforms for cylinder bookings.
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Consumers have also been encouraged to use alternate fuels such as PNG, induction cooktops or electric cooking appliances wherever possible, and to conserve energy.
She added that the government and PSU oil marketing companies will continue public awareness efforts to ensure citizens rely on official information and avoid misinformation or panic.
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