An oil export terminal in the UAE came under attack while an Indian-flagged tanker was loading crude, though the vessel sailed out safely a day later with cargo bound for India, underscoring growing risks to global energy shipping routes amid escalating tensions in West Asia.
“On 14 March 2026, while the Indian-flag vessel Jag Laadki was loading crude oil at the Fujairah Single Point Mooring, the Fujairah oil terminal was attacked. The vessel sailed safely from Fujairah at 1030 hrs IST (Sunday) carrying about 80,800 MT of Murban crude oil and is bound for India. The vessel and all Indian seafarers onboard are safe,” the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said in a statement.
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Maritime Safety
The incident comes as energy infrastructure and shipping routes in the Gulf face heightened risks following the widening conflict in the region that has already disrupted maritime trade and crude flows.
The Fujairah oil hub, located on the Gulf of Oman outside the Strait of Hormuz, is among the world’s key oil export and storage centres. It handles large volumes of crude and refined products and provides producers a strategic outlet that bypasses the narrow Strait of Hormuz—a chokepoint through which about a fifth of global oil trade passes.
Despite the attack, India’s energy supply chain continues to function, with shipments of crude and LPG still reaching the country.
Two Indian-flag LPG carriers—Shivalik and Nanda Devi—carrying about 92,712 metric tonne of LPG crossed the Strait of Hormuz on March 14 and are currently on passage to India. The vessels are scheduled to reach Mundra port on March 16 and Kandla port on March 17, according to government updates.
Authorities said domestic fuel availability remains stable even as the geopolitical situation in West Asia continues to evolve.
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Domestic Energy Buffer
According to the petroleum ministry, all refineries in the country are operating at high capacity and maintaining adequate crude inventories, while India remains self-sufficient in the production of petrol and diesel. As a result, no imports of petrol or diesel are required to meet domestic demand.
Oil marketing companies have also reported no fuel dry-outs at retail outlets, with supplies of petrol and diesel continuing normally across the country.
The government has advised citizens not to resort to panic buying, saying adequate stocks of petroleum products are available.
Natural gas supply to priority sectors has also been protected. PNG and CNG consumers continue to receive 100% supply, while supplies to industrial and commercial users are currently being regulated.
Authorities have also encouraged commercial consumers in urban areas to shift to piped natural gas where available in order to ease pressure on LPG supplies.
Meanwhile, maritime authorities continue to track Indian vessels operating in the region. Twenty-two Indian-flagged ships with 611 seafarers remain west of the Persian Gulf region, with the Directorate General of Shipping monitoring their movement in coordination with ship owners, maritime agencies and Indian missions.
TOPICSCrude oilThis article was first uploaded on March fifteen, twenty twenty-six, at two minutes past eight in the night.