Two India-bound ships among a few transiting Hormuz Strait on Day 2 of ceasefire
On Day 2 of the temporary US-Iran ceasefire, only a handful of commercial vessels were transiting the Strait of Hormuz, with two India-bound tankers among the first to move through
Marivex, an oil tanker, was carrying crude oil from Bandar Abbas (Iran) to New Mangalore Port (Karnataka, India)
MSG, another oil tanker, was carrying cargo from the UAE to India
Ship tracker data confirmed active transit, though overall shipping volumes remained a fraction of pre-war levels, indicating cautious resumption rather than full normalisation
The resumption is critical for India's energy supply chain, given the country's dependence on Gulf oil transiting Hormuz
Maritime Chokepoints and India's Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs)
Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) are the maritime routes on which international trade and naval operations depend. For India, the security of SLOCs — particularly through the Arabian Sea and the Strait of Hormuz — is a foundational national security interest, directly linked to energy security, trade, and naval strategy.
Key Details
- India's critical SLOCs: (1) Arabian Sea — Hormuz route (Gulf oil); (2) Bab-el-Mandeb — Red Sea route (Europe/Africa trade); (3) Malacca Strait (East Asia trade, LNG from Australia); (4) Lombok/Sunda Straits (alternatives to Malacca)
- India's maritime strategy document (2015, Indian Navy): identifies Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb as critical to India's energy security and trade flows
- India's Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS): forum for regional naval cooperation, India founded it in 2008
- Indian Navy's operational reach: the Navy has Overseas Deployment Units and conducts continuous presence in the Arabian Sea (anti-piracy, HADR, escort duties)
The Marivex and MSG transits represent precisely the SLOC-security objective India's Navy, diplomacy, and energy policy all converge on — ensuring uninterrupted flow of energy through Hormuz. Each resumed voyage reduces the inventory drawdown pressure on India's strategic reserves.
New Mangalore Port (NMPT): Strategic Energy Hub
New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT), now New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) under the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021, is India's only major port in Karnataka and a key terminal for crude oil, LPG, and petroleum product imports on the west coast.
Key Details
- Location: Panambur, Mangaluru, Karnataka; one of India's 13 Major Ports
- Major Port Authorities Act, 2021: replaced the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963; gave major ports more autonomy and a corporate governance structure (Board of Port Authority replacing the Port Trust Board)
- NMPA handles: crude oil (largest single commodity), LPG, LNG, edible oils, fertilizers, containers
- India's Strategic Petroleum Reserve at Mangaluru (1.5 MMT) and Padur (2.5 MMT) are located near the port — crude unloaded at NMPA can be directly piped to the caverns
- Oil PSUs with presence at NMPA: MRPL (Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd — ONGC subsidiary), BPCL, HPCL
Marivex's destination — New Mangalore Port — is not coincidental. The MRPL refinery at Mangaluru specifically processes Gulf crude, and the adjacent SPR caverns need replenishment after the Hormuz closure. The arrival of crude at NMPA directly feeds into refining capacity and strategic stock rebuilding.
Bandar Abbas: Iran's Key Oil Export Terminal
Bandar Abbas is Iran's largest port and the primary export terminal for Iranian crude oil. Located at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, it is Iran's principal commercial maritime gateway and the hub from which Iranian crude reaches Asian buyers — including India (historically, before sanctions and the current conflict).
Key Details
- Location: Hormozgan Province, southern Iran; sits at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz
- Manages approximately 80–90% of Iran's seaborne exports during normal operations
- India historically imported Iranian crude under the SWIFT-exempt rupee payment arrangement until US secondary sanctions tightened post-2018
- Shahid Rajaee container port (adjacent to Bandar Abbas): one of the largest container terminals in the Middle East
- Iran-India oil trade was revived in early 2026 as the conflict began, with India signalling limits to its US alignment by re-engaging Iranian crude under ceasefire conditions
Marivex departing from Bandar Abbas to New Mangalore Port signals that India is pragmatically resuming Iranian crude imports during the ceasefire window — consistent with its strategic autonomy posture and the urgent need to replenish depleted inventories.
- Two India-bound tankers on Day 2 of ceasefire: Marivex (Bandar Abbas → New Mangalore) and MSG (UAE → India)
- New Mangalore Port (NMPA): Karnataka's only major port; handles crude oil, LPG, LNG
- Strait of Hormuz navigable lanes: 3.2 km each direction; total width at narrowest ~33 km
- Pre-crisis daily Hormuz oil flow: ~21 million barrels/day (~20% of global petroleum consumption)
- India's Strategic Petroleum Reserve near Mangaluru: Mangaluru cavern (1.5 MMT) + Padur cavern (2.5 MMT) = 4 MMT of SPR capacity on India's west coast
- Major Port Authorities Act, 2021: replaced Major Port Trusts Act, 1963; 13 major ports under it
- India resumed Iranian crude imports in early 2026 for the first time since 2019 (under rupee-denominated arrangement)