Karwar, March 13: The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has significantly disrupted shipping movements from Gulf countries, affecting the supply of petroleum products and crude bitumen to India. However, amid these disruptions, a cargo vessel carrying bitumen from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has arrived at the Karwar Commercial Port in Karnataka, providing partial relief to supply concerns.
According to port officials, the vessel—identified as “Chang S”—arrived at Karwar port carrying approximately 3,100 metric tonnes of bitumen, although the ship has a total capacity of around 5,500 metric tonnes. The cargo was transported from Khor Fakkan port in the UAE and has already begun unloading operations at the port.
Shipping movements in the region have been severely impacted due to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical maritime oil routes. Reports indicate that several petroleum cargo vessels remain stranded or delayed due to security concerns and restrictions in the region.
Port authorities stated that the vessel departed from the UAE on March 3 and reached Karwar after nearly two weeks of travel. Despite heightened geopolitical tensions and maritime risks, the vessel successfully completed its journey and docked safely in India.
Officials also revealed that bitumen shipments usually arrive at Karwar port at an average of five to eight vessels per month, primarily from Gulf countries. However, due to the ongoing conflict, shipping frequency has dropped sharply, causing temporary disruptions in cargo movement.
Apart from bitumen, Karwar port also handles cargo such as palm oil from Indonesia, rock phosphate from Jordan, and industrial salt, while certain petroleum products like HSD are supplied to the naval base through dedicated pipelines.
Port officials warned that if shipping disruptions continue and vessels fail to arrive regularly, the Karwar commercial port could face revenue losses of ₹60–70 lakh per month, depending on cargo volumes.
The arrival of the bitumen vessel is therefore being seen as a positive development amid the ongoing supply chain disruptions, even as uncertainty continues over shipping movements in the Gulf region due to geopolitical tensions.
ಇದನ್ನೂ ಓದಿ: ಹಾರ್ಮೋಜ್ ಉದ್ವಿಗ್ನತೆ ನಡುವೆಯೂ ಯುಎಇಯಿಂದ 3,100 ಮೆಟ್ರಿಕ್ ಟನ್ ಡಾಂಬರ್ ಕಾರವಾರ ಬಂದರಿಗೆ
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