News: Union Minister of Ports received India’s third VLGC “Shivalik” under the Indian flag at Visakhapatnam Port, marking a national maritime milestone.
About Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) “Shivalik”
- ‘Shivalik’ is a Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC), which is a sub-class of gas carriers designed to transport a much higher volume of gas.
- It joined SCI’s existing VLGCs, Sahyadri and Anandamayi.
- Owned by: It was inducted into the Shipping Corporation of India Ltd. (SCI) fleet.
- Built in: It was built in South Korea.
- Named after: It is named after the Himalayan Shivalik Range.
- Size: It has a length of 225 meters.
- Capacity: It has a capacity of 82,000 CBM.
- Recent voyage: It completed its maiden voyage by loading more than 46,000 metric tonnes of LPG (propane and butane) at Ruwais, UAE, and arrived at Visakhapatnam Port for discharge operations for Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL).
- Key features
- The vessel is equipped with segregated tanks, which enable safe carriage and efficient handling of liquefied petroleum gas.
- It has advanced temperature management systems, which preserve cargo integrity during loading, transit, and discharge.
- It complies with global safety and efficiency standards, which represents cutting-edge maritime engineering and operational reliability.
- Significance
- Self-Reliant India: The inclusion of VLGCs reduces dependence on foreign carriers and strengthens national maritime capabilities. This supports Atmanirbharata in shipping under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 and the Maritime India Vision 2030.
- Energy Security: The vessel ensures secure, efficient, and reliable LPG transportation, while strengthening India’s energy connectivity with the Arabian Gulf.
- Strategic Significance: The arrival under the national flag signals India’s maritime resurgence and supports the goal of becoming a top five maritime nation by 2047 with greater participation in global energy trade.
