The first crude oil tanker to reach India through the Strait of Hormuz since tensions escalated in West Asia has safely arrived in Mumbai. The Liberia-flagged vessel Shenlong reached the city on Wednesday after departing Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura terminal on March 3.

After unloading its cargo, the tanker is scheduled to sail for Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates on Friday night, even as another crude carrier approaches the Indian coastline.

Voyage through a high-risk waterway

The tanker’s journey came at a time when the Strait of Hormuz became increasingly volatile. Iran has reportedly targeted merchant vessels in response to attacks by the US and Israel on February 28, disrupting the movement of energy supplies through the critical shipping route. Nearly a fifth of the world’s crude oil passes through the strait.

During the voyage, the crew encountered disruptions to navigation systems. Signals from the ship’s AIS and transponders were not detected at certain points, and the vessel experienced GPS spoofing and jamming.

Also Read | Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei in coma, ‘lost a leg’ after air strike that killed father: Report

Despite the challenges, Captain Sukshant Singh Sandhu and the crew managed to steer the ship safely through the region. Sandhu had said the vessel lost GPS signals multiple times but avoided any hostile encounters during the passage.

Navigation without GPS

Second officer Abhijit Alok described the journey as demanding because the crew had to navigate without reliable GPS signals.

“We were lucky to have reached safely and happy to have been able to carry some vital resources (crude oil) for the country at a time when supplies are short”, he said. “Captain Sandhu is a seasoned officer and knows how to navigate when there are no GPS signals; we sailed on in the manner it was done in an era when there were no signals with secondary options", he added.

The crew also reported seeing fighter aircraft flying overhead in Saudi Arabia, though they did not witness active military conflict during their passage.

Also Read | What is ‘Pickaxe Mountain’? The underground Iranian nuclear site that could shape the war

Cargo delivered, return voyage planned

The tanker delivered 1,35,335 metric tonnes of crude oil at Jawahar Dweep, also known as Butcher Island, off the Mumbai coast. The cargo will be transported to refineries in Mahul in eastern Mumbai.

The ship carries 29 crew members from India, Pakistan and the Philippines.

Another crude carrier, Smyrni, is expected to reach Mumbai on March 14, according to the vessel’s agent Jitendra Jadhav. Meanwhile, Shenlong is preparing to depart for Fujairah, which lies outside the Strait of Hormuz but has also been affected by recent conflict-related incidents.