Shenlong’s Return Voyage Begins Today, Tensions in Gulf Keep Maritime Routes on Edge

New Delhi: Amidst the increasing military tension in West Asia, the Liberian tanker Shenlong, which reached India with crude oil, is now preparing to return. This ship, which reached Mumbai carrying about 135,335 metric tonnes of crude oil, is being unloaded at Jawahar Island Terminal from Thursday. After completion of unloading, this tanker will leave for Fujairah port of UAE on Friday night. However, in the current situation, its return is also not considered easy, because military activities have increased in the entire Gulf region.

Is the process of unloading crude oil going on in Mumbai?

Crude oil is being continuously unloaded from tankers at the oil terminal located at Jawahar Island in Mumbai. It is being said that the oil unloaded from the ship will be transported through pipeline to the refinery located in Mahul area of East Mumbai. According to officials associated with the energy sector, maintaining oil supply is very important for India even amidst the current tension.

Is it completely safe to return to Fujairah?

The tanker is scheduled to return to Fujairah port in the UAE, located along the Gulf of Oman on the UAE's eastern coast. Because of this the ship will not have to pass directly through the Strait of Hormuz. Despite this, marine experts believe that the Gulf of Oman and the surrounding area cannot be called completely safe at present.

Is the Gulf of Oman also in danger now?

According to Captain Ashutosh Jha of the Indian Merchant Navy posted in Dubai, the entire Persian Gulf region is at risk at this time. He says that even if the ship does not have to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, it will have to enter the Gulf of Oman and the situation there too is not normal. Recently, there were reports of attacks near Salalah Container and Cargo Terminal, which has increased concerns about the security of this entire maritime area.

Has Fujairah port also been hit by attacks?

According to reports, on March 9, the UAE Defense Force intercepted a suspicious drone. A fire broke out after the debris of this drone fell in Fujairah area. Even before this, there was news of damage to Fujairah's oil storage terminal due to debris. These incidents have also made the area around this port sensitive.

Did the Shenlong ship reach India through a risky route?

According to sources, Shenlong is the first oil tanker to cross the Strait of Hormuz and reach India after the recent tension. The ship crossed this sea route through the so-called 'dark transit'. During this time the ship's navigation system had to face many technical challenges.

Was the GPS system affected during the trip?

According to the ship's Captain Sukshant Singh Sandhu, the ship's GPS signals were disrupted several times during the journey. It is believed to be an incident of GPS spoofing and jamming, which is usually seen in sensitive maritime areas. However, the crew handled the situation and safely reached Mumbai and there was no direct attack on the way.