KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 (Reuters) — Two tankers that were detained near Malaysia's Penang island last week for allegedly carrying out illegal ship-to-ship transfers of crude oil have been released along with their cargo, according to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
The authorities seized the ships, suspected of transferring nearly $130 million worth of crude oil, and arrested 53 crew members on January 29 after receiving a complaint about their activities, stated MMEA Penang director Muhammad Suffi Mohd Ramli over the weekend.
WATERS KNOWN FOR ILLEGAL TRANSFERS
The waters around Malaysia are often used for illegal ship-to-ship transfers where oil is moved between tankers at sea to hide its origin or bypass sanctions. Malaysian authorities pledged last year to take action against this practice.
In response to inquiries from Reuters, Muhammad Suffi’s office named the vessels as the Nora and the Rcelebra, and mentioned that they were managed by agents from Penang appointed by the ships' owners.
The ships were released on a bond of 300,000 ringgit ($76,400) but are still under investigation for conducting these transfers without proper authorization.
“The case is awaiting further instructions from the Deputy Public Prosecutor for court proceedings,” Muhammad Suffi’s office stated.
While the agency did not disclose the origin of the oil or the tankers, public records and LSEG ship-tracking data indicated that the unique IMO numbers of the Nora and Rcelebra matched those of vessels sanctioned by Western authorities.
The Nora, previously known as Longbow Lake, was added to the U.S. Treasury’s sanctions list in 2020 due to its connections with the National Iranian Oil Company.
On the other hand, the Rcelebra has been under European Union sanctions since last year for its suspected transport of crude oil and petroleum products from Russia, Iran, and Venezuela.
Recent tracking data showed that the Nora was last seen moving towards Sri Lanka, while the Rcelebra was heading towards an area near Singapore known for dark fleet tankers.
($1 = 3.9260 ringgit)