A total of 62 vessels carrying India-bound cargo have safely transited the Strait of Hormuz, while 4,052 Indian seafarers have been repatriated from the Gulf region as on August 3, Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal informed the Lok Sabha on Aug 7.
Of these, 23 were Indian-flagged vessels and 39 were foreign-flagged.
The minister also noted that the government is maintaining close and continued contact with the families of affected seafarers and has released immediate financial support of Rs 10 lakh through the Seafarers Welfare Fund Society.
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategically important maritime chokepoints, carries nearly a fifth of global oil trade. Shipping traffic have been severely affected in the region due to blockade of the Strait after the US-Iran war began.
“Inter-agency coordination is maintained by Directorate General of Maritime Administration/ Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian Navy, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, the Department of Fertilizers, the IFC-IOR and Indian Missions abroad,” the minister said.
The government said that evacuation of stranded seafarers is pursued through a coordinated mechanism involving the IMO, the UKMTO, the MICA Centre and coastal states.
Sonowal said that since the onset of the security situation in the Strait of Hormuz, several measures have been taken to safeguard Indian seafarers. These include the establishment of a dedicated 24x7 Control Room, maintenance of a live vessel-and-crew database, and issuance of a Situation Report (SITREP) every 24 hours to monitor the movement of vessels, Indian seafarers, incidents and casualties.
The Directorate General of Maritime Administration has also developed an integrated digital platform with dedicated 24x7 marine casualty reporting, crisis management and seafarer grievance redressal modules to ensure prompt reporting and response.
“The evolving maritime security situation is being continuously monitored through the DG Communication Centre (DGCOMM) in coordination with the Indian Navy, Flag States, coastal authorities, shipowners, ship managers, Recruitment and Placement Services Licence (RPSL) agencies and other concerned stakeholders,” the minister informed the Parliament.
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