The Nigerian Navy has confirmed the seizure of a Supertanker – MV HEROIC IDUN – and the arrest of its crew by the Equatorial Guinea forces for crude oil theft in Nigeria.
Recall that The Nation had reported the arrest of the tanker after it fled from Nigeria’s AKPO Oil Field when its activities were uncovered by the NN.
The Naval Director of Information. Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, who confirmed the seizure and arrest, added that the operation was an indication of renewed collaboration between Gulf of Guinea nations.
He stated that the Super tanker with International Maritime Organisation number. 9858058, raised a false alarm that it was under pirates’ attack when NNS GONGOLA ordered the vessel to sail to Bonny Fairway Buoy for interrogation.
Ayo-Vaughan said the Regional Centre for Maritime Security for West Africa in Abidjan also confirmed that the vessel raised a false alarm about an attempted boarding between 10 to 15 Nautical Mile (NM) of Akpo oil field in Nigeria to the International Maritime Bureau, Multinational Maritime Coordination Centre, Zone E and other international platforms
In a statement, he said, “On Sunday 7, August 2022, personnel of the Nigerian Navy on routine patrol had observed and reported the suspicious presence of Motor Tanker (MT) HEROIC IDUN in Akpo Oil Field, Deep Offshore Bonny. The Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) with IMO Number: 9858058 is a 336-metre-long tanker with carrying capacity of 299,995 MT. It is reportedly owned by Hunter Tankers AS, domiciled in Scandinavia, Norway, but operated by Trafigura Maritime Logistics situated in the Netherlands.
“The vessel had arrived at the Total Safe Anchorage operated by Akpo Oil Field for loading operations but was interrogated by the Nigerian Navy and later observed to be without NNPC due clearance for the loading operations. Notwithstanding, MT HEROIC IDUN proceeded with the loading operation at the Akpo Single Buoy Mooring (SBM) on 8 August 2022.
“MT HEROIC IDUN was stopped from proceeding by the Nigerian Navy Ship GONGOLA. But the ships resisted arrest when ordered to stop by NNS GONGOLA and the supertanker escaped towards the Nigeria-Sao Tome Joint Development Zone Area.
“In a bid to be mischievous and justify her escape, MT HEROIC IDUN reported her encounter with NNS GONGOLA as a sea robbery/pirate attack on various international maritime security watch platforms”.