The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has confirmed that all Indian seafarers and vessels operating west of the Strait of Hormuz remain safe, with no maritime incident reported in the past seventy-two hours.

The assurance was given during an inter-ministerial briefing, where officials emphasised that India continues to monitor regional shipping routes closely and that the situation remains stable from the perspective of shipping safety.

Opesh Kumar Sharma, Director in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, stated that all Indian-flagged ships are safe and that Indian seafarers serving on foreign-flagged vessels are also secure.

He highlighted that no incident has been reported in the past seventy-two hours and confirmed that the Directorate General of Shipping’s control room remains fully functional, maintaining constant communication with seafarers. He also clarified that reports of an attack on the LPG vessel Nanda Devi were inaccurate, stressing that no such incident had taken place.

Sharma explained that India’s maritime response mechanism remains fully active and in coordination with both global and domestic stakeholders. He noted that the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways continues to work closely with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian missions abroad, and maritime stakeholders to ensure the welfare of seafarers and the uninterrupted functioning of maritime operations.

He reiterated that all Indian seafarers in the region are safe, with no incident involving either Indian-flagged vessels or foreign-flagged vessels carrying Indian nationals reported in the past seventy-two hours.

The Directorate General of Shipping’s control room has been actively managing large volumes of communication from seafarers and their families since its activation. Sharma revealed that the control room has handled more than 11,600 calls and over 25,800 emails to date.

In the last seventy-two hours alone, 444 calls and 1,034 emails were received from seafarers, their families, and maritime stakeholders, underscoring the scale of engagement and reassurance being provided.

Highlighting evacuation and assistance efforts, Sharma confirmed that thousands of Indian seafarers have already been safely repatriated from affected regions in the Gulf. He stated that more than 3,474 Indian seafarers have been brought back, including 28 in the last seventy-two hours from various locations across the Gulf region.

This reflects India’s sustained commitment to ensuring the safety and welfare of its nationals working in maritime sectors.

Sharma further assured that maritime trade and port infrastructure within India remain unaffected by the regional situation. He confirmed that port operations across the country continue to function normally, with no congestion reported, thereby ensuring that India’s domestic maritime activities remain stable despite tensions in the Gulf.

This comprehensive briefing underscores India’s proactive maritime safety measures, its robust evacuation efforts, and its ability to maintain uninterrupted port operations while closely monitoring developments in one of the world’s most sensitive shipping corridors.

ANI