Indian has urged seafarers to stay away from Iran as the Middle East crisis escalates.
The government advised shipowners to avoid ports in Iran amid spiralling violence, with targeted Israeli killings, an invasion of Lebanon and retaliatory missile strikes by Tehran.
India’s Directorate General of Shipping urged managers to move crew changes to alternative ports to avoid “unforeseen consequences” and ensure seafarer safety.
Daniel Joseph, deputy director general of shipping, said in a circular: “In light of the current war, seafarers are advised not to sign on or off from any ports in Iran, as the safety and security of our seafarers are of paramount interest.”
The circular also urged managers to postpone loading or discharge operations or find other ports in less volatile areas.
TankerTrackers reported that empty VLCCs of the National Iranian Tanker Co had left the country’s largest oil terminal at Kharg Island because of apparent fear of attacks from Israel.
Crude loadings were continuing but extra capacity had left, the first time the tracking group had seen such a move since sanctions were reimposed by the US in 2018.
US President Joe Biden appeared to suggest that the US and Israel had discussed hitting Iranian oil targets, sending the price of oil spiralling. Most of Iran’s oil goes to China.
India’s oil purchasing from Iran has been negligible since 2018, when it was importing up to 800,000 barrels a day, according to Kpler data.
But it does not prevent seafarers from operating from Iran.
The government also signed a 10-year contract this year to operate a port with Tehran.
India first entered an agreement in 2016 to develop the Chabahar port, close to Iran’s border with Pakistan, and this year signed a long-term deal for further development. India’s shipping minister called it a “historic moment in India-Iran ties”.
Washington responded with a warning that anyone doing business with Iran was at risk of being targeted by its sanctions programme.
India is the fifth-largest source nation for seafarers with an estimated 113,000, according to the 2021 International Chamber of Shipping seafarer workforce report. Only the Philippines, Russia, Indonesia and China supply more.
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