Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) has declared force majeure on all gasoline export cargoes amid the Middle East conflict, two traders said on Wednesday. The traders said they received a notice from MRPL that invoked force majeure for gasoline exports scheduled in March and April, a legal clause permitting non?performance when circumstances are beyond control. The company did not immediately respond to an email request for comment, while a source within the company confirmed the action.

MRPL operates a 500,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Karnataka and is state-run. The refiner exports about 40 per cent of its refined fuel output, making the move significant for international shipments. The force majeure covers various contractual obligations for the specified months and is understood to affect scheduled loadings and commercial arrangements with trading partners.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been virtually halted after vessels were struck amid exchanges of strikes involving Iran, the United States and Israel, leaving energy trade flows in disarray. The strait carries around a one fifth of oil consumed globally, and disruptions have heightened concerns over supply security and freight patterns. Traders and refiners are reassessing logistics and routing as a result.

Indian refiners source about 40 per cent of their crude requirements from the Middle East while supplementing purchases from spot markets and processing domestic oil, prompting the government and industry to scout alternative supplies. Officials are exploring imports of crude oil, liquefied petroleum gas and liquefied natural gas from other producers. MRPL had said in January that it was assessing purchases of Venezuelan oil after halting Russian imports to comply with Western sanctions, and India holds crude inventories sufficient for about 25 days.