Ships can be seen anchored near Fujairah port as smoke from a burning oil facility fills the sky in Fujairah (AP Photo)

An Indian-flagged crude tanker was attacked when it was loading crude oil at an oil terminal at Fujairah port in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday. The ship floated out safely the next day and everyone on board was safe.According to a government statement, the ship named Jag Ladki departed from Fujairah at 10.30 am carrying about 80,800 tonnes of Murban crude oil and is now headed to India. Officials confirmed that the ship and all Indian sailors on board were safe.

“On March 14, 2026, the Indian flag vessel Jag Ladki was loading crude oil at Fujairah Single Point Mooring when the Fujairah Oil Terminal was attacked. The vessel departed Fujairah today (Sunday) at 1030 hrs IST safely carrying approximately 80,800 tonnes of Murban crude oil and headed for India,” the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said in a press release.“The ship and all Indian sailors on board are safe,” it said.Jag Ladki is the fourth Indian flag ship to safely leave the conflict affected area. Its safe departure is considered critical as disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz have affected shipping activities and energy supplies in the region.Earlier on Saturday, two Indian-flagged LPG carriers – Shivalik and Nanda Devi – successfully transited the war-torn Strait of Hormuz carrying a combined cargo of about 92,712 tonnes of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). Shivalik is expected to reach Mundra port in Gujarat on March 16, while Nanda Devi is scheduled to reach Kandla port a day later.The two ships were among 24 ships stranded on the western side of the strait since hostilities began in the area. The other four ships were stranded on the eastern side.One of those ships, the Indian-flagged tanker Jag Prakash, transited the strait on Friday after loading gasoline from Oman’s Sohar port. It is currently headed towards Tanga, Tanzania and is expected to reach there on March 21.Indian ships and sailors operating in the area are safe, officials said, although the situation is being closely monitored. Currently, 22 Indian-flagged ships carrying 611 sailors remain off the western shore of the Persian Gulf region.India is heavily dependent on energy imports, getting about 88 percent of its crude oil, 50 percent of natural gas and 60 percent of LPG from foreign markets. Before the conflict escalated following the US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, more than half of India’s crude oil imports, about 30 per cent of gas and up to 90 per cent of LPG, came from Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.The conflict has disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies. While India has partially mitigated the disruption in crude oil supply by increasing purchases from countries including Russia, gas supplies to industrial users have been reduced and LPG availability has been reduced for commercial establishments such as hotels and restaurants.The government said maritime authorities remain in constant coordination with stakeholders to ensure the safety of Indian seafarers.“The Directorate General of Shipping continues to monitor the situation in coordination with ship owners, RPSL agencies and Indian missions,” the update said.It said that since the activation of the DG Shipping Control Room, officials have handled 2,995 phone calls and over 5,357 emails from seafarers, their families and other maritime stakeholders seeking information and assistance.So far, 276 Indian sailors have been safely brought back from the Gulf region, including 23 in the last 24 hours.Ports across India are also keeping a close watch on vessel movements and cargo operations as the maritime situation evolves, while the Ministry of Shipping continues to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian missions and shipping companies to ensure the safety of Indian personnel and continuity of maritime trade, officials said.