India’s shipping ministry has granted special permission to four vessels carrying Iranian oil – as requested by Reliance Industries – to berth at the western port of Sikka, three industry sources said.
India, the world’s third-biggest oil importer and consumer, has not received a cargo from Tehran since May 2019 following U.S. pressure not to buy Iranian crude.
However, the U.S. last month temporarily waived sanctions on the purchase of Iranian oil at sea to ease oil prices.
The waiver is due to expire on April 19.
India’s oil ministry, shipping ministry and Reliance did not respond to requests for comment.
Iranian oil is often transported by a shadow fleet of vessels that lack internationally recognised insurance and safety certifications.
But this requires special permission from the government as exemptions are required under Indian rules for the berthing of ships.
ONE-TIME EXEMPTION
One of the sources said the shipping ministry has granted a special one-time exemption to vessels requested by Reliance, operator of the world’s biggest refining complex, due to the emergency situation created by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Apart from Comoros-flagged aframax Kaviz and Curacao-flagged very large crude carrier (VLCC) Lenore, permission has been granted to Iran-flagged VLCCs Felicity and Hedy, a second source said.
All four U.S.-sanctioned vessels are more than 20 years old.
Each VLCC supertanker can carry a maximum of 2 million barrels of oil.
India typically requires tankers that are more than 20 years old to have seaworthiness certification from a member of the industry’s leading body, the International Association of Classification Societies, or an entity authorised by India’s maritime administration.
The Hedy has been positioned near Chabahar port since April 1 and Felicity was seen near Chabahar since April 3, according to analysis from U.S. advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran, which monitors Iran-related tanker traffic through ship and satellite tracking.
The Kaviz exited the Gulf on Thursday, while the Lenore loaded crude from Iran’s Kharg Island on March 20, UANI senior adviser Charlie Brown said.
However, another source said, despite the grant of permission, it was not certain Reliance would process Iranian oil, as it wants to ensure that transactions are sanctions-compliant and are in line with Indian rules.
Indian Oil Corp, the country’s top refiner, has purchased Iranian oil carried in the sanctioned tanker Jaya, ship tracking data shows.
