Moderators Moderator_02 Posted July 5, 2019 Moderators Share Posted July 5, 2019 Quote Panama flagged tanker held in Gibraltar THE TANKER Grace 1 Posted 04/07/2019 Grace 1 a Panama flagged oil tanker was detained in Gibraltar at the request of the US. It was suspected of transporting oil to Syria, despite sanctions against that country, and was intercepted on Thursday, July 4 off the coast of Gibraltar at the request of the United States, said Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell. "We are studying the circumstances in which this has occurred, which has been a request that the United States sent to the United Kingdom," Borrell told reporters. The authorities of the British territory of Gibraltar, located in the southern tip of Spain, assisted by a detachment of Royal Marines, stopped the oil tanker on Thursday morning about four kilometers south of the "Rock". "Naturally we were aware of this operation, the patrol boats of the Civil Guard have been securing the area," said Borrell. "We are seeing how it affects our sovereignty, because it has occurred in waters whose sovereignty we understand belongs Spain," he added. Gibraltar considers that the waters are under British jurisdiction, a claim questioned by Spain, which says it sovereignty over the territory. The Panamanian freighter is suspected of transporting oil to Syria, violating sanctions imposed on Damascus. The Gibraltar authorities did not specify the origin of the oil, but the specialized maritime publication Lloyd's List said that it was a freighter with Iranian oil. https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/panama-flagged-tanker-held-in-gibraltar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted July 7, 2019 Author Moderators Share Posted July 7, 2019 Moderator comment: We do not search for this kind of content to be posted here on CL, but this one was sent to us. Typically this kind of news article would not be posted on CL, but given that the ship involved is of Panamanian registry, it seems appropriate to provide a follow-on to the topic lead-in because of this significance of this incident and that a Panamanian flag ship is the center of focus. Much of the content of this article was omitted; anyone wishing to see the complete article should click on the hotlink reference at the bottom of this posting. Quote Iran warns UK to 'be scared' after vowing to seize British tanker over raid Jon Lockett 6 Jul 2019, 11:21 Updated: 7 Jul 2019, 9:41 BRITAIN should be "scared" about Tehran's retaliation over the dramatic seizure of an Iranian supertanker by Royal Marines, a firebrand cleric warned today. Mohammad Ali Mousavi Jazayeri hinted the Islamic Republic may strike back over the capture of the giant vessel, impounded over fears it was illegally shipping oil to Syria. "I am openly saying that Britain should be scared of Iran's retaliatory measures over the illegal seizure of the Iranian oil tanker," said the cleric, a member of the powerful clerical body the Assembly of Experts. "We have shown that we will never remain silent against bullying ...As we gave a staunch response to the American drone, the appropriate response to this illegal capture (of the tanker) will be given by Iran as well," he said. He spoke out weeks after Tehran's forces shot down the unmanned US military drone it claimed had intruded into Iranian airspace. Earlier former Revolutionary Guard commander Mohsen Rezaee said on Twitter that it was Tehran's “duty” to strike back and seize a UK ship. SEIZURE THREAT Commandos dramatically detained the tanker over suspicions it was carrying oil to Syria in violation of EU sanctions on Thursday. Gibraltar's Supreme Court today granted a 14-day extension for the local authorities to legally detain the supertanker. However, Rezaee - now a top politician - tweeted: "The Islamic Revolution was never an initiator of tension during its 40-year-old history, however, it has not hesitated to respond to bullies. "If UK doesn’t return the Iranian tanker, the duty of responsible (Iranian) bodies is to seize a British oil tanker in a retaliatory measure." Rezaee did not spell out how and where the Islamic Republic intended to strike back. He hit out hours after Iran summoned the British ambassador in Tehran for heated diplomatic talks over the Gibraltar raid. Troops in a military chopper from 42 Commando - backed by comrades in a speedboat - led the operation in Gibraltar's waters during the early hours of Thursday morning. However, Iran has now hit out at what it calls the "illegal seizure" of the ship and its contents. A foreign ministry spokesman told Iranian TV the seizure was "destructive" and could increase tensions in the Gulf. The 30 marines in a Wildcat helicopter were flown out to lead the mission at the request of the Gibraltar police - before abseiling onto the deck of the "rogue" tanker. UK Ministry of Defence sources said that British troops were at all times acting under civil authority, at the direction of the Gibraltar police. British authorities revealed today that the crew of the tanker are being interviewed - as witnesses, not criminals - in an effort to establish the nature of the cargo and where it was heading. The spokesman said the 28-member crew, who have remained on board the supertanker, were mainly Indians with some Pakistanis and Ukrainians. CREW QUIZZED Police and customs officials remained on board the vessel to carry out their investigation but the Royal Marines were no longer present. During the raid the marines provided the technical expertise to allow the vessel to be boarded at sea. The Panama-flagged vessel - reportedly carrying Iranian crude oil - was boarded in the early hours by local cops and customs agents aided by the marines detachment. It was boarded while carrying out an off-port-limits logistics stop in British territorial waters, where it had been due to collect food and goods while transiting past the Rock. "We have reason to believe that the 'Grace 1' was carrying its shipment of crude oil to the Baniyas Refinery in Syria," said the British territory's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo. "That refinery is the property of an entity that is subject to European Union sanctions against Syria. We have detained the vessel and its cargo." Mr Picardo also praised the bravery of all those who detained the ship - which was closing in on its apparent destination when stopped. "I want to thank the brave men and women of the Royal Marines, the Royal Gibraltar Police, HM Customs Gibraltar and the Gibraltar Port Authority for their work in securing the detention of this vessel and its cargo," he said. "Be assured that Gibraltar remains safe, secure and committed to the international, rules-based, legal order." It's believed the massive ship - which is more than 330m in length - left the Kharg Island oil terminal in Iran in mid-April. The tanker then reappeared near the Iranian port of Bandar Assaluyeh fully loaded. After anchoring off the United Arab Emirates coast, the vessel headed 15,000 miles around Africa towards the Mediterranean. According to shipping records, the Grace 1 formally identified its cargo as having been loaded in Iraq, thus avoiding the US sanctions on Iran. However, tracking websites said it had not docked in Iraq at the relevant time and its a satellite identification system was turned off. It later showed up near the Iranian port of Assaluyeh, fully loaded and then travelled the long route to Syria round the Cape of Good Hope, avoiding the more straightforward journey through the Suez Canal, which is more easily monitored. Tanker trackers estimate that the ship carries two million barrels of oil. Its seizure came just two weeks after Iran was accused of attacking tankers in the Gulf of Oman - an incident which almost triggered a war between the US and the Islamic Republic. The two ships - Japan’s Kokuka Courageous and Norwegian-owned vessel the Front Altair - are now docked at the Emirati port of Fujairah. Tehran has fiercely denied any involvement in the twin attacks on the pair of tankers. TANKER ATTACKS However, America blamed the Iranian Revolutionary Guard for planting limpet mines on the hulls of both vessels. After the operation, Mr Picardo said he has now written to the presidents of the European Commission and European Council to give details of the sanctions that have been enforced. The EU has imposed a series of sanctions against Bashar Assad's regime in Syria in response to the conflict in the country. The Syrian Sanctions Regime, established in May 2011, comprises financial, trade and transport restrictions. The bloc imposed sanctions on 277 Syrian officials including government ministers over their role in the "violent repression" of civilians. It has also introduced an embargo on Syrian oil and a strict freeze on Syrian bank assets within the EU. The Foreign Office said: "We welcome this firm action by the Gibraltarian authorities, acting to enforce the EU Syria Sanctions regime." https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9450167/iran-warns-britain-be-scared-gibraltar/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted July 13, 2019 Author Moderators Share Posted July 13, 2019 Quote World News July 5, 2019 / 6:29 AM / 8 days ago Panama says it cut Iran oil tanker from boat registry after terrorism alert PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Panama’s Maritime Authority said on Thursday that Grace 1, a giant Iranian oil tanker seized by British Royal Marines in Gibraltar, was no longer listed in Panama’s international boat registry as of May 29. The Panamanian authority added that Grace 1 had been de-listed after receiving an alert indicating that the ship had participated in or was linked to terrorism financing. Although the tanker flies a Panama flag, Iran claimed ownership and objected to the seizure of its ship. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-iran-tanker-panama/panama-says-it-cut-iran-oil-tanker-from-boat-registry-after-terrorism-alert-idUSKCN1TZ24G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted July 13, 2019 Author Moderators Share Posted July 13, 2019 Quote Panama de-lists oil tanker from boat registry after terrorism alert As Reuters reports, Panama's Maritime Authority that after Grace 1 was seized by British Royal Marines in Gibraltar, they de-listed it from Panama's international boat registry as of May 29. Detentions | 05/07/19 Specifically, the Panamanian Authority highlighted that Grace 1 was de-listed after receiving an alert indicating that the ship had participated in or was linked to terrorism financing. According to Reuters, the British Royal captured the vessel on June 27, after being accused of bringing oil to Syria, thus breaching EU sanctions. Although the tanker is under the Panamanian flag, Iran claimed ownership and then objected to the seizure of its ship. Iran stated that the seizure of the vessel is an illegal 'economic war' against the country. During an OPEC and OPEC+ meeting in Vienna, it was discussed that worsening tensions between US and Iran adds potential for oil price volatility that could be tricky for OPEC members to manage. In addition, the Iranian production is expected to fall by 1 million b/d year-on-year, due to the fact that US oil sanctions cut into its oil exports, especially after waivers for consuming nations to import limited Iranian oil were ended in early May 2019. https://safety4sea.com/panama-de-lists-oil-tanker-from-boat-registry-after-terrorism-alert/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted July 14, 2019 Author Moderators Share Posted July 14, 2019 Quote Panama to withdraw flags from more vessels that violate sanctions Reuters Marianna Parraga and Elida Moreno July 12, 2019 2:26 PM EDT PANAMA CITY — Panama will withdraw its flag from more vessels that violate sanctions and international legislation, the country’s maritime authority told Reuters, following the removal of about 60 ships linked to Iran and Syria from the Panamanian registry in recent months. After the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran by Washington in 2018, Panama’s former president Juan Carlos Varela gave the green light to remove a fleet of 59 tankers from the country’s registry, according to two sources close to the decision. Most of those vessels were owned by Iranian state-run companies but they also included ships linked to oil deliveries to Syria, the sources added. A separate supertanker, the Grace 1, made its way to Gibraltar in early July, where it was seized by British Royal Marines on suspicion of violating sanctions against Syria. The vessel was fully loaded with crude suspected to be bound for Syria’s Banyas refinery, Gibraltar authorities said. The vessel arrived in Gibraltar showing the Panama name at its hull, but the Panamanian government later clarified it had been removed from its registry on May 29. “Panama will maintain its flag withdrawal policy,” Rafael Cigarruista, general director of Merchant Marine from Panama’s Maritime Authority, told Reuters in an emailed statement. “Our intention is to improve our fleet’s percentage of compliance, not only regarding sanctions by international organizations, but also Panama’s current legislation and maritime security rules,” he added. Cigarruista did not provide details on coming action or targeted fleets. The exact process leading up to the July detention of the Grace 1 remains unclear. Spain, which does not recognize Britain’s sovereignty over Gibraltar, said it would study whether Britain’s actions violated its territorial water claims. Iran called on Britain on Friday to immediately release the Grace 1 and warned of reciprocal measures after three Iranian vessels on Thursday tried to block a British-owned vessel passing through the Strait of Hormuz. LARGEST SHIPPING FLEET As the United States seeks to increase pressure on Iran, Panama says it is trying to maintain its registry clean from sanctioned ships and companies involved in wrongdoing. Under international law, every merchant ship must be registered with a country, known as its flag state, which has jurisdiction over the vessel and is responsible for safety inspections and checking the crew’s working conditions. When a vessel loses its flag, it typically triggers lost of insurance and classification if it does not immediately finds another flag. Panama has the largest shipping fleet in the world with almost 7,100 vessels registered, according to specialized firm Vessels Value. The Central American country offers foreign vessel owners easy registration, the ability to employ foreign labor, and does not tax the income of the foreign owners. Even being the world’s largest, the registry has seen a decrease in its number of vessels from over 8,000 in 2017. Liberia now has almost 3,800 registered ship, followed by Marshall Islands with 4,100, according to the Vessels Value data. Experts say an outdated and slow mechanism for registering vessels in Panama compared with other flag countries is the culprit of the falling number. Panama, which this year announced it will improve the payment mechanism for its registry to speed up the process, is also withdrawing its flag more frequently since the U.S. administration started putting pressure on allied countries to help enforcing unilateral sanctions, the experts added. “It’s very important for us as a flag country to preserve existing ties and grow closer to administrations that are members of the International Maritime Organization,” Cigarruista said, when asked if Panama is following U.S. guidance on sanction enforcement. (Reporting by Elida Moreno and Marianna Parraga Editing by Daniel Flynn and Marguerita Choy) https://business.financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/panama-to-withdraw-flags-from-more-vessels-that-violate-sanctions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted July 20, 2019 Author Moderators Share Posted July 20, 2019 Quote July 12, 2019 / 1:28 PM / 8 days ago Exclusive: Panama to withdraw flags from more vessels that violate sanctions Marianna Parraga, Elida Moreno PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Panama will withdraw its flag from more vessels that violate sanctions and international legislation, the country’s maritime authority told Reuters, following the removal of about 60 ships linked to Iran and Syria from the Panamanian registry in recent months. After the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran by Washington in 2018, Panama’s former president Juan Carlos Varela gave the green light to remove a fleet of 59 tankers from the country’s registry, according to two sources close to the decision. Most of those vessels were owned by Iranian state-run companies but they also included ships linked to oil deliveries to Syria, the sources added. A separate supertanker, the Grace 1, made its way to Gibraltar in early July, where it was seized by British Royal Marines on suspicion of violating sanctions against Syria. The vessel was fully loaded with crude suspected to be bound for Syria’s Banyas refinery, Gibraltar authorities said. The vessel arrived in Gibraltar showing the Panama name at its hull, but the Panamanian government later clarified it had been removed from its registry on May 29. “Panama will maintain its flag withdrawal policy,” Rafael Cigarruista, general director of Merchant Marine from Panama’s Maritime Authority, told Reuters in an emailed statement. “Our intention is to improve our fleet’s percentage of compliance, not only regarding sanctions by international organizations, but also Panama’s current legislation and maritime security rules,” he added. Cigarruista did not provide details on coming action or targeted fleets. The exact process leading up to the July detention of the Grace 1 remains unclear. Spain, which does not recognize Britain’s sovereignty over Gibraltar, said it would study whether Britain’s actions violated its territorial water claims. Iran called on Britain on Friday to immediately release the Grace 1 and warned of reciprocal measures after three Iranian vessels on Thursday tried to block a British-owned vessel passing through the Strait of Hormuz. LARGEST SHIPPING FLEET As the United States seeks to increase pressure on Iran, Panama says it is trying to maintain its registry clean from sanctioned ships and companies involved in wrongdoing. Under international law, every merchant ship must be registered with a country, known as its flag state, which has jurisdiction over the vessel and is responsible for safety inspections and checking the crew’s working conditions. When a vessel loses its flag, it typically triggers lost of insurance and classification if it does not immediately finds another flag. Panama has the largest shipping fleet in the world with almost 7,100 vessels registered, according to specialized firm Vessels Value. The Central American country offers foreign vessel owners easy registration, the ability to employ foreign labor, and does not tax the income of the foreign owners. Even being the world’s largest, the registry has seen a decrease in its number of vessels from over 8,000 in 2017. Liberia now has almost 3,800 registered ship, followed by Marshall Islands with 4,100, according to the Vessels Value data. Experts say an outdated and slow mechanism for registering vessels in Panama compared with other flag countries is the culprit of the falling number. Panama, which this year announced it will improve the payment mechanism for its registry to speed up the process, is also withdrawing its flag more frequently since the U.S. administration started putting pressure on allied countries to help enforcing unilateral sanctions, the experts added. “It’s very important for us as a flag country to preserve existing ties and grow closer to administrations that are members of the International Maritime Organization,” Cigarruista said, when asked if Panama is following U.S. guidance on sanction enforcement. Reporting by Elida Moreno and Marianna Parraga; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Marguerita Choy Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-iran-tanker-panama-exclusive/exclusive-panama-to-withdraw-flags-from-more-vessels-that-violate-sanctions-idUSKCN1U72DS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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