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Dark fleet tanker detained in Antwerp

The authorities in Antwerp have detained the 'Galatia' after its arrival in port on July 24, 2023, due to technical defects. Several breaches of the technical requirements have been identified, including emergency installations (such as the emergency generator and the fire pumps) that are either not operational or cannot be operated. The 'Galatia' had 22 defiencies. Port State Control categorized seven findings as "serious", which indicates that the ship does not comply with the conventions set out by the HKC (International Treaty of Hong Kong) across the board. The inspections have therefore been discontinued. It is now up to the owner of the ship to respond and take the necessary steps to put the ship in order. The ship belongs to Gatik, the largest dark fleet tanker operator engaged in Russian oil and shipping trades to call at European ports. There is an ongoing investigation into the 'Galatia', which has been managed by the Indian Gatik Ship Management since April 2023. The ship may have carried illegal cargo on board and transferred it to other ships on the open sea. The tanker would belong to the so-called shadow fleet or "dark fleet" that maintains Russian oil exports. The 'Galatia' departed from Jeddah on June 29, 2023 and moored in the port of Antwerp on July 23. It remained stationary in the Leopold Dock as of Aug 2.

Tankers unable to discharge cargoes in New York region

At least two tankers carrying gasoline-making components have dropped anchor off New York for nearly a week, unable to discharge their cargoes in the latest sign that storage for the fuel was running out. Several tankers with gasoline have also been diverted from the New York region to Florida and the U.S. Gulf Coast in recent days. The "Emerald Shiner", carrying a cargo of alkylite from Sikka, has been anchored off the New York Coast since June 28, 2016. The "Energy Progress" with a cargo of reformate from Turkey, has similarly been waiting outside New York since June 28. Furthermore, at least three cargoes of gasoline from Europe, which heavily relies on exports to the U.S. East Coast, have been diverted in recent days from New York Harbor to Florida and the U.S. Gulf Coast, ship tracking showed. Those include the "Energy Patriot", "Seasalvia" and "Ance". The excess in the midst of summer demand for the motor fuel casts a shadow of the profitability of refineries, and thus their demand for crude oil over the coming months. Global gasoline stocks have risen steadily in recent months as refiners ran at full steam on expectations of strong demand this summer, particularly in the United States and Asia. With dropping profits from producing gasoline, refiners are increasingly shifting to making diesel and jet fuel.