WASHINGTON: Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Friday said the US navy was preparing to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz “as soon as it’s reasonable to do it”, as traffic through the key trade route remains choked due to the US-Israel war on Iran.
“As soon as it’s reasonable to do it, we’ll escort ships through the straits and get the energy moving again”, he told US broadcaster Fox News’s “Fox and Friends” show.
US President Donald Trump had said on Tuesday that the US Navy would “begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as soon as possible” in a bid to avoid disruption of global oil supplies.
Meanwhile, India has ordered refiners to ramp up liquefied petroleum gas output, aiming to avert a cooking gas shortage following supply disruptions linked to the war in the Middle East.
In a directive, the petroleum ministry asked refiners to ensure that propane and butane streams are utilised for LPG production to ensure families do not face any shortage in the coming weeks.
The measure comes as war in the Middle East has heightened concerns over shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy transit route.
India is the world’s second-largest LPG buyer and purchases more than 90 per cent of its supply from the Middle East, according to data intelligence firm Kpler. — AFP
