Indonesian Coast Guard seizes Iran- and Panama-flagged oil tankers

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Indonesia’s Maritime Security Agency (Badan Keamanan Laut or Bakamla) has secured two tankers “suspected of carrying out the illegal transfer of fuel oil” in Indonesian waters.

The vessels – the Iran-flagged MT Horse and the Panama-flagged MT Frea – were seized off Kalimantan province. They are alleged to have violated the right of transit passage in Indonesian waters and carried out “ship-to-ship illegal fuel transfers” while not raising their national flags, Bakamla said in a statement.

The ships also shut down their automatic identification systems (AIS) and there was an oil spill incident involving MT Frea.

The two tankers will be escorted to Batam for further investigation.

US sanctions on Iran prevent the Middle Eastern country from exporting crude.