WIND

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Shadow fleet tanker attacked and damaged in Red Sea

On May 18, 2024, shortly after midnight, the 'Wind', en route with a cargo of oil from Novorossyisk to China, was attacked 98 miles south of Al Hudaydah. The Captain of the vessel confirmed that the vessel had been struck by an unknown object and suffered slight damage. However, the crew and vessel were safe and continued sailing for the next port call. On May 12-13, the tanker had passed through the Suez Canal, and the last AIS signal was received when it was in the middle of the Red Sea. The attack damaged the propulsion and steering. However, the crew managed to fix the propulsion and steering and continued sailing under its power. Ambrey stated that the steering gear was ablaze, but another steering unit of the vessel was functional. The 'Wind' is a Dark Fleet tanker, her alias in Venezuela was “King”. The vessel which is now registered in Panama, in 2022 was registered in Comoros. She returned to the Panama register in 2023 after having left the Panama flag in 2021.

Sold

HEYDAR ALIYEV, ZARIFA ALIYEVA, SHAH DENIZ, ABSHERON, BAKU, AZERBAIJAN, GUNESHLI sold en bloc to Azerbaijan - Socar- ASM LLC

Palmali statement with regards to Libyan Navy attack on tanker Baku

Palmali’s head office in Istanbul sent to Maritime Bulletin company’s statement which was published in Malta Times: The National Oil Corporation (NOC) of Libya said yesterday that the Libyan navy prevented the vessel from reaching the port of Es-Sider and that the vessel was in cooperation with an illegal group to load and smuggle crude oil. “These statements are entirely unfounded,” shipowners Palmali Shipping Services of Istanbul said. It said that the vessel - the MV Baku - was on a charter to load 80,000 tons of crude oil at a safe port in Libya for an Eastern Mediterranean European port. On Friday, the charterer nominated Es-Sider as the loading port. On Saturday, the tanker received a message originally sent by NOC officer Abdulbaset O. Zarti declaring Es-Sider as one of three Libyan ports to be 'force majeure ports'. The message was later circulated to the market. The company said that upon receipt of the message, it ordered the vessel not to proceed to Es-Sider and to remain in international waters. “We contacted the charterers to inform them of this development and asked them to nominate an alternative loading port. We also informed the NOC that our vessel had been instructed not to proceed to Es-Sider and that she would wait in international waters for a fresh nomination from the charterers.” But on Sunday afternoon, the ship was approached by a Libyan naval vessel and ordered to proceed to Misurata under threat of fire. “We immediately contacted the NOC to confirm once more that our vessel had no intention to proceed to Es-Sider. There followed a tense four-hour stand-off during which time we were in constant contact with Mr Abdulbaset and Mr Benkoura (also from the NOC) whilst our vessel remained under the threatening scrutiny of the Libyan naval vessel which also prevented our vessel from heading towards Maltese waters.” The company said the Libyan authorities requested a further written confirmation that the vessel would not proceed to Es-Sider and this was provided. NOC officers assuring the company that the vessel would be promptly permitted to sail to Malta. However, not only was this promise not kept, “the Libyan naval vessel continued to circle our vessel threateningly and even fired two shots in an attempt to push our vessel in the direction of Misurata. At this point our vessel's master decided to sail towards Malta at full speed to avoid further illegal intimidation by the Libyan naval forces‎ and a possible escalation.” The company said these unfortunate incidents occurred in international waters with manifest and total disrespect by the Libyan authorities ‎for the rule of international order.”