India steps up to support stranded ships amid Hormuz blockade
With the Strait of Hormuz blocked due to conflict in West Asia, India is stepping up to support stranded ships.
Ports like Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) have granted rebates — 100% off ground rent and dwell time, and around 80% rebate on reefer container plug-in fees — to containers originating at JNPA for up to 15 days, to ease the pressure on shipping companies.
Impact of the blockade and India's response
This blockade has forced ships to take much longer routes, resulting in delays and higher costs.
Right now, 22 Indian-flagged vessels with more than 600 crew members are still stuck west of the Persian Gulf.
To help exporters, customs rules have been relaxed so returning shipments can be unloaded easily.
With some India-bound crude shipments from the region affected, a spike in oil prices could raise domestic fuel costs and contribute to inflationary pressure.
The government is also encouraging people to switch from LPG to piped gas as a backup plan.