US LPG Cargo Ship Arrives At New Mangalore Port As Supply Tightens

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A cargo vessel carrying Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG ) from Texas, United States, has arrived at the New Mangalore Port in Mangaluru on Sunday amid reports of supply shortage in several cities of India.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways on Friday said that cargo-related charges for crude oil and LPG shipments at the New Mangalore Port have been waived from March 14 to 31.

The move was aimed at facilitating faster handling of essential fuel supplies. The ministry also added that no congestion has been reported at any port across the country, news agency ANI reported.

Ships sailing through Persian Gulf reported to be safe

During an inter-ministerial briefing, Special Secretary of the Shipping Ministry, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, also informed that all 22 Indian ships and 611 sailors on-board in the Persian Gulf are safe amid the West Asia conflict, which has entered its fourth week.

“There has been no report of any maritime incident in the last 24 hours. All our 22 ships and 611 Indian sailors in the Persian Gulf region are safe, and we are continuously monitoring them,” Sinha was quoted as saying by the agency.

He also added no congestion has been reported in any port. Additionally the "New Mangalore Port has issued a circular for waiver of all cargo-related charges for crude and LPG, which is valid from 14 March to 31 March," the Shipping Ministry official said.

LPG panic eases

Over the past few weeks, several cities witnessed a severe LPG supply crisis, prompting people to stand in long queues to stock up their household supplies and move to alternatives such as induction cooktops.

The shortage was triggered by the ongoing conflict between the US-Israel and Iran, which led to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway route through which India receives its LPG shipments.

India imports around 62-67% of its LPG, making it heavily dependent on foreign supplies. Meanwhile, nearly 85-90% of that supply comes through the Strait of Hormuz. As the route faced disruptions, supplies were also hit.

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However, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas recently said that panic booking of LPG cylinders has declined significantly, with only 55 lakh bookings reported on Thursday.

Speaking at an inter-ministerial briefing, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, also highlighted an improvement in the LPG crisis, saying, "There is no panic booking now. Only 55 lakh LPG booking reported yesterday."

According to ANI, Sharma also reassured consumers, saying that there is no shortage of supply across the country. "There is adequate stock available, no outlets are dry out," she stated. However, she acknowledged that some other concerns remain.

Indian crude oil tanker arrived in Gujarat

On Wednesday, the Indian-flagged crude oil tanker, Jag Laadki, successfully arrived at Adani Ports Mundra in Gujarat, marking a significant addition to the nation's energy imports.

Earlier, the two Indian-flagged LPG carriers safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz before arriving in India on March 16 and 17. MT Shivalik and MT Nanda Devi carried around 92,712 metric tonnes of LPG through the Strait of Hormuz on early Friday, March 13, 2026, according to the news agency.

(with agency inputs)

Key Takeaways

US LPG cargo arrives at the New Mangalore Port amid supply shortage concerns in India. Government officials are actively monitoring and managing the LPG supply situation. Panic buying has significantly decreased, indicating a return to normalcy in consumer behavior.

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