Malaysia: MMEA detains tanker transporting 190,000 litres of diesel without permit

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in Labuan on Sunday (6 August) reportedly said it detained a Malaysian-flagged tanker carrying 190,000 litres of diesel worth MYR 400,000 (USD 87,765) without a permit, according to Bernama.  

MMEA suspected the tanker was transporting smuggled diesel as it did not have a licence to handle and carry fuel. 

The tanker was arrested at 45.7 nautical miles north-west of Labuan on 5 August.

Labuan director Captain Nudin Jusoh said a MMEA patrol vessel was conducting several operations around the waters near the Samarang Oil rigs when it detected the tanker at around 2.10pm. 

He added there were seven crew members onboard, six of whom were Indonesians and the other was an Indian citizen. They were aged between 20 and 55 years old and had valid identification documents. 

MMEA found owner of the vessel had committed several other offences including an expired domestic shipping licence (DSL), no crew list, no cargo manifest, an expired international load line document and an expired International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate (IOPP) Form B document ( Marpol Annex 1). 

Nudin said the case will be investigated under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance (MSO) 1952 the Petroleum Act 1984/Petroleum Development Act 1974 while the owner of the tanker would also be subjected to investigations under the Customs Act 1967, Control of Supplies Act 1961 and Control of Supplies Regulation 1974 for not possessing port clearance and a Control Supplies Act document. 

The tanker and cargo were seized and escorted to the MMEA Labuan jetty for further investigation.

Photo credit: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
Published: 7 August, 2023