/Agencia Anadolu
A vessel equipped to transport liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), previously linked to Iranian shipments, recently transited the Strait of Hormuz emitting a signal declaring that its crew and owners are Indian, according to satellite tracking data.
The Tara Gas was observed moving northeast from waters off Dubai and passing near Larak Island in Iran, a route indicating the ship was using a corridor approved by Tehran.
Draft data showed the vessel was fully loaded, although tracking platforms did not specify the origin of the cargo. LPG is widely used as cooking fuel and in petrochemical production.
The unit’s movement comes at a time when vessels trapped inside the Persian Gulf are seeking various ways to ensure safe passage through the strait, either by displaying their national affiliations or relying on negotiations between their governments and Tehran.
India, Thailand, and Malaysia are among the countries that have held talks with Iranian authorities to facilitate the release of energy cargoes, according to market sources.
The Tara Gas has previously transported Iranian cargoes, including an LPG shipment loaded in Iran in January and discharged at a Chinese port in late February, according to data from energy analysis firms Vortexa and Kpler cited by Bloomberg.
Vortexa data also showed the vessel entered the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz on May 2.
The transit also occurs while vessels with a history of carrying Iranian cargo face a second level of risk after leaving Hormuz, as U.S. forces maintain a blockade on Iranian navigation in the Gulf of Oman.
The United States Central Command (Centcom) reported on Sunday that U.S. forces have diverted 61 ships and disabled four vessels since the blockade began in mid-April.
