Maltese media reported on Wednesday that the authorities of Malta prevented a tanker carrying Libyan crude oil from entering its territorial waters.Media of Malta added in its report that the tanker Distya Ameya was carrying 650 thousand barrels of oil.
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On Tuesday, Malta refused entry to the tanker, forcing the vessel to drop anchor in worldwide waters, and according to publicly available shipping data, that is where it was even on Wednesday.
Libya, with Africa’s largest proven crude reserves, broke into two separately governed regions in late 2014, one centered around Tripoli in the west and the other an internationally recognized government in the east. Libyans are now working with the support of the USA and European nations to set up a Government of National Accord.
The UN-recognized government of Libya has asked for global help to apprehend the oil tanker Distya Ameya with 650,000 barrels of crude onboard. One possibility might be to attempt a ship-to-ship transfer in worldwide waters.
The US embassy has also said that it’s “very concerned” about the attempted sale and reiterated all purchases of Libyan oil must continue to be through the Tripoli-based NOC. That government said on Monday it had taken administrative control of seven ministries in Tripoli.
Members of forces loyal to Libya’s eastern government stand in Benghazi, Libya, April 18, 2016. Last month, a United Nations -backed unity government arrived in Tripoli but it has not been accepted by the rival government that controls the eastern parts of the North African country.
“The ball is in the court of the worldwide community”, Mohamed Elharari, spokesman for the company in Tripoli, said by phone Wednesday.
The eastern government has created its own state oil company and has tried several times to export crude.
The sanctions committee has put the cargo ship on the spotlight, based on information it received from the Tripoli-based government that it was carrying oil in violation of a 2014 United Nations resolution prohibiting shipments from rebel-held ports.
The eastern NOC is “fully committed to all contracts and agreements signed by past and future legal governments”, Elmagrabi said in a letter released yesterday.
But on Monday, the eastern government managed to ship its first tanker, which is now heading for Malta.
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The ship is carrying oil ordered by a company called DSA Consultancy FZC, registered in the United Arab Emirates, according to Libyan authorities.
