Centre’s decision pending as vessels unload at Mundra and Kandla
PANAJI
The Goa government is awaiting official communication from the Union Ministry on the sharing of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cargo from two vessels — Shivalik and Nanda Devi — that docked earlier this week at Mundra Port and Kandla Port, respectively, even as authorities expressed cautious optimism over a partial easing of supplies.
Officials indicated that the State usually receives LPG allocations routed through the Mangalore Port, where oil marketing companies handle onward distribution.
“We are waiting for communication from the ministry. We usually get LPG distribution through Mangalore port, where the oil marketing companies then deal with further supplies,” a source told The Goan.
Despite the uncertainty, authorities stated that the ongoing discharge operations are expected to augment supplies to some extent. Together, the two vessels are carrying more than 92,700 metric tonnes of LPG, equivalent to roughly 65.28 lakh domestic cylinders. Of this, about 24,000 metric tonnes, or nearly 16.9 lakh cylinders, have already been earmarked for Tamil Nadu.
Officials confirmed that cargo discharge from both carriers is currently in progress. The unloading was being conducted through a ship-to-ship transfer, with discharge rates estimated between 800 and 900 tonnes per hour till Friday.
Meanwhile, a separate development is expected to bolster the energy supply chain. The Aqua Titan, a Russian oil-laden tanker, earlier bound for China, is now scheduled to arrive at New Mangalore Port on March 21 after being chartered by Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited.
"At the moment, we are getting a seamless supply of LPG as per the central guidelines owing to the ongoing crisis," the source added.
The Ministry confirmed that the vessel is carrying crude oil, as India steps up energy purchases from Russia amid the West Asia conflict.
As Goa witnesses a gradual normalisation in LPG booking cycles, authorities are stepping up enforcement to prevent black marketing and hoarding, particularly in the commercial segment.
“To check any black marketing, flying squads led by Assistant Directors have been deployed on the field... Enhanced mobility has also been ensured, with the government hiring additional vehicles to conduct surprise inspections and regular patrolling,” the source said.
