Malicious intentions – Indonesian Coast Guard detained new Iranian oil tanker

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The Indonesian coast guard said it had detained an Iranian-flagged supertanker suspected of illegal crude oil shipments and vowed to step up maritime patrols.

The Indonesian authorities added in their statement: The MT Arman 114 was carrying 272,569 metric tons of light crude oil worth 4.6 trillion rupees ($304 million) when it was seized last week, and it is suspected that it was transporting oil to another ship without a permit. The announcement comes as the IMO commits ships to use positioning equipment for safety and transparency.

Ship crews can also shut them down in the event of piracy or similar risks, but ships often close devices to conceal their position if they engage in illegal activities.

Suspicious Iranian tankers

This is not the first time that Indonesia has detained an Iranian tanker; On January 25, 2021, it announced that the Coast Guard had detained the Iranian-flagged tanker MT Horse on suspicion of illegally transporting oil in Indonesian waters, according to Reuters.

Indonesia’s detention of the Iranian ship lasted for nearly four months, until it was released in May of the same year.

Iran said at the time that the tanker MT Horse was detained because of a “technical issue” and demanded that Indonesia explain the detention of the tanker.

“Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faiz Sia responded that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was coordinating with the Coast Guard and had received information that the oil tanker was suspected of violating the law.”

The head of the agency, Anne Cornea, said the ship was seized after it was spotted in Indonesia’s North Natuna Sea, carrying oil from ship to ship on board the Cameroon-flagged MTS Tinos.

Oil smuggling

The ship was captured after being spotted in the Indonesian North Natuna Sea, and is transporting oil from one ship to another aboard the Cameroonian-flagged MTS Tinos, said agency chief Anne Cornea.

“MT Armand was spoofing the Automatic Identification System (AIS) to show its location is in the Red Sea but it’s actually here,” Ann told reporters.

“They appear to have malicious intent,” An said, adding that the ship also threw oil into the ocean, in violation of Indonesian environmental law.

Reuters did not immediately have access to the operators for comment.

Authorities detained the Egyptian tanker’s captain and his 28-member crew and three passengers from the family of a security officer aboard, the news agency said.

After the supertanker attempted to escape, authorities focused on pursuing the tanker, with the help of Malaysian authorities as the vessel sailed through their waters, Ann said.

Iranian Shadow Fleet

A Reuters analysis this year showed that a “shadow” fleet of oil-carrying tankers from sanctioned Iran, Russia, and Venezuela transports shipments in the Singapore Strait to avoid detection.

The risk of oil spills and accidents is growing as hundreds of additional vessels, some without insurance cover, have joined the opaque parallel trade over the past few years.

He pledged that the Indonesian Coast Guard, with the help of other authorities, would step up patrols of its waters, as Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago and home to some 17,000 islands.

“We have to be firm, there has to be a deterrent effect so it doesn’t happen again,” he said.

In 2021, Indonesia detained two ships flying the flag of Iran and Panama on similar charges, whose captains received a two-year probation period from an Indonesian court.

A Suspicious Iranian Habit

The Greek authorities impounded the commercial ship Pegas (renamed “Lana” a few days later), on 19 April, confiscated its cargo and arrested its crew, off the coast of Evia Island.

A member of the Greek Ministry of Maritime Transport explained at the time that the seizure of the ship came within the framework of EU sanctions imposed on Russia, due to the conflict with Ukraine.

The United States of America said that the Russian oil tanker that was detained is carrying Iranian oil.

Less than a month after Tehran threatened to punish Athens, in response to the tanker’s seizure, in May the IRGC seized two Greek ships (Prodent and Rior, and the Poseidon Delta) while they were sailing in Persian Gulf territorial waters, allegedly for violating naval rules.