Indonesia Seizes Iranian-Flagged Tanker Suspected of Illegal Oil Transfer

July 12, 2023

1 minute read

Patrol vessel KN. Pulau Marore-322, owned by Indonesia’s Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) patrols to inspect the Iranian-flagged Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), MT Arman 114, and the Cameroon-flagged MT S Tinos, as they were spotted conducting a ship-to-ship oil transfer without a permit, according to Indonesia’s Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla), near Indonesia’s North Natuna Sea, Indonesia, July 7, 2023 in this handout picture released July 11, 2023. Indonesia’s Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) / Handout via REUTERS

Indonesia's coast guard said on Tuesday it seized an Iranian-flagged supertanker suspected of involvement in the illegal transshipment of crude oil and vowed to toughen maritime patrols.

The MT Arman 114 was carrying 272,569 metric tons of light crude oil, valued at 4.6 trillion rupiah ($304 million), when it was seized last week, the Indonesian authorities said.

The Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) was suspected of transferring oil to another vessel without a permit on Friday, the Southeast Asian nation's maritime security agency said.

The vessel was captured after being spotted in Indonesia's North Natuna Sea, carrying out a ship-to-ship oil transfer with the Cameroon-flagged MT S Tinos, the agency's chief, Aan Kurnia, said.

"MT Arman was spoofing their automatic identification system (AIS) to show its position was in the Red Sea but in reality it is here," Aan told reporters.