West Asia conflict: Saudi oil tanker reaches Mumbai after crossing Strait of Hormuz

A Liberia-flagged oil tanker that set sail from Saudi Arabia on March 3 carrying around one million barrels of crude oil docked in Mumbai on Wednesday (March 11, 2026), crossing the Strait of Hormuz where marine traffic had stalled following the start of hostilities on February 28.

Also read: West Asia war updates on March 12, 2026

This is possibly the first such vessel to reach Indian shores since the beginning of the West Asia conflict.

India’s daily crude oil needs are some five million barrels, more than 85% of which is imported.

Shenlong, a tanker managed by Dynacom, sailed from Ras Tanura in Saudi Arabia and docked at the Mumbai port at 4.30 p.m. on March 11, according to the ship-tracking website marinetraffic.com.

According to Reuters, the vessel is the first crude oil tanker to reach India from West Asia since the joint strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28. State-run Bharat Petroleum Corporation is the customer.

Press Trust of India reported that “another large ship is likely to reach Indian ports in a day or two”. The Indian-flagged Very Large Crude Carrier with around two million barrels of Iraqi crude is headed to Paradip in Odisha.

According to shipping news website Lloyds List, the Shenlong crossed the Strait of Hormuz around March 8. In a report published on March 9, it said, “Dynacom’s Shenlong (IMO: 9379210) Suezmax transited around March 8 carrying Saudi Arabian crude loaded at the port of Ras Tanura and is listing its destination as the Indian port of Mumbai.”

Incidentally, on March 7, a day before Shenlong crossed the strait, Iran thanked the Indian government for letting IRIS Lavan dock at Kochi on March 3. “The excellent coordination and cooperation of the Indian authorities in these difficult circumstances clearly reflect the long-standing and friendly relations between our two countries,” Iran’s Ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali had told ANI.