UPDATE 2-Oil supertanker bound for Syria detained in Gibraltar
- Country:
- Gibraltar
British Royal Marines and officials in Gibraltar have detained the supertanker Grace 1 suspected of carrying crude oil to Syria, in breach of European Union sanctions, the government of Gibraltar said.
In a statement, the government said it had reasonable grounds to believe that the Grace 1 was carrying its shipment of crude oil to the Banyas Refinery in Syria. "That refinery is the property of an entity that is subject to European Union sanctions against Syria," Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said. EU sanctions against the government of Syria took effect in May 2011.
"With my consent, our port and law enforcement agencies sought the assistance of the Royal Marines in carrying out this operation." The government published regulations on Wednesday to enforce the sanctions against the tanker and its cargo. Refinitiv Eikon mapping indicates the ship sailed from Iran, and if the cargo is confirmed to be Iranian crude, its attempted delivery to Syria could also be a violation of U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil exports. The mapping data shows the ship has sailed a longer route around the southern tip of Africa instead of via Egypt's Suez Canal.
The Grace 1 was documented as loading fuel oil in Iraq in December, although the Iraqi port did not list it as being in port and its tracking system was switched off. The tanker reappeared near Iran's port of Bandar Assaluyeh fully loaded. Shipping data shows the ship is a 300,000-tonne Panamanian-flagged tanker managed by Singapore-based IShips Management Pte Ltd.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
ALSO READ
"Stop membership drive after polls to avert turncoats from returning": Tipra Motha urges BJP
ED raids underway at multiple places in TN as part of drug-related money laundering case involving ex-DMK member Jaffer Sadiq
2024 IELTS Preparation Tips by Experts to Study in Canada
Tipra Motha prevented BJP's loss in 2023 Tripura polls: CPI(M)'s Manik Sarkar
ED raids multiple locations in Tamil Nadu as part of drugs money laundering probe against ex-DMK functionary Jaffer Sadiq, others: Officials.