Russian oil tanker rerouted from China reaches India; more on the way: Reports
Aqua Titan, first of 7 Russia-linked tankers, arrives in India after the US grants a 30-day waiver, easing a crude crunch sparked by the Iran-Israel-US conflict
Amid growing concerns about a potential scarcity of fuel in India due to the ongoing Iran-Israel-US conflict, an oil tanker named Aqua Titan, carrying Russian crude, arrived at the New Mangaluru port on Saturday (March 21) evening.
The tanker was headed for China when it was rerouted towards India recently, Bloomberg had reported. This happened after the US granted India a 30-day waiver to buy oil from Russia, which had earlier been halted under a tariff threat by the Trump-led administration.
More to come from Russia
The medium-sized oil tanker was originally headed to China, but was later rerouted to India, and it is the first of seven tankers with Russian crude that is set to reach India.
The Aqua Titan was loaded at a Baltic Sea port in late January and was originally destined for the Chinese port of Rizhao. It reversed course in mid-March, days after New Delhi secured the temporary US waiver allowing it to purchase sanctioned Russian oil stranded at sea.
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Reportedly, at least six more China-bound tankers carrying Russian crude are now making their way to Indian shores. A second vessel, the Suezmax Zouzou N, is expected to dock at Gujarat's Sikka port on March 25. The movement of these tankers has reportedly been tracked by ship-monitoring firm Vortexa.
Disrupted oil flow
The urgency behind this rerouting stems from India's deepening energy anxiety. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, triggered by the ongoing Iran war, has placed immense pressure on India's fuel supply chains.
Nearly 40 to 50 per cent of India's crude oil imports, half of its LNG, and most of its LPG shipments pass through this critical chokepoint, which is currently being threatened by the ongoing West Asian conflict.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to attack Iran's power plants if freedom of navigation is not fully restored at the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. However, the Strait continues to be a hurdle in the smooth oil flow from the Gulf countries to the rest of the world.
A provisional sigh of relief
The arrival of the seven tankers is expected to provide short-term relief to India's strained crude oil supply. In a parallel development, a major LPG cargo aboard the Pyxis Pioneer, sailing from Texas, docked at New Mangaluru Port on Sunday, offering further respite amid the ongoing cooking fuel crisis. Unloading procedures are currently underway.