Indian Vessel under UN Sanction for Carrying Disputed Libyan Oil Freed

United Nations has formally lifted the sanction put on Indian flag tanker MT Distya Ameya owned by M/s Arya Shipping, Mumbai. The oil tanker was blacklisted by the United Nations on April 26, 2016 after it had sailed from Al-Herega port in Libya picking up the consignment of over 6.5 lakh barrels of oil to discharge at Malta.

Subsequently, it had emerged on April 25, that this was in breach of the sanctions of the United Nations in as much as the said interim Government of Libya is not recognised by the United Nations. “The vessel Distya Ameya was listed pursuant to the resolution as transporting crude oil illicitly exported from Libya, based on information received from the government of Libya,” said the United Nations Sanctions Committee in its order of April 26.

Being an Indian flagged ship, the Director General of Shipping, Government of India, took up the matter with the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations. Upon the instructions of the DG Shipping, the vessel sailed back to Libya and discharged its entire oil consignment at the designated port Zawiya in Libya, under the supervision of the National Oil Corporation. This port is under the control of the Government of National Accord of Libya, which is recognised by the United Nations. This cargo evacuation was completed on May 6, 2016. It was also found out that the foreign charterers or the Indian owners and managers of the ship were unaware of the UN sanction.

Upon this the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York issued a Note Verbale to the UN Security Council apprising it of the positive developments in the compliance of order. The UN on May 12, 2016 formally lifted the sanction on the Indian vessel 16 days after it was held for carrying disputed Libyan oil. The ship is now completely free to resume its normal sailing and carry on its commercial operations.