Tanker shipping Kurdistan oil reappears near Malta, possibly empty
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Neverland tanker carrying over 700 thousand barrels of Kurdistan Region crude oil has appeared off the coast of Malta and may be empty, Reuters reported.
The oil tanker, chartered by Vitol, was last spotted in waters near the east coast of Canada late last month after turning off its transponder.
At the time, Kurdistan’s Minister of Natural Resources told Reuters that his government is not directly involved in the in the sale to final buyers of their product. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) sells its crude oil on a “free-on-board” basis, he said.
In a court case filed in Canada’s Federal Court by the Iraqi government, a judge issued a warrant for the “arrest of the cargo of approx. 721,915 barrels of crude oil” on June 29.
According Federal Court records, the warrant has not been executed.
The Neverland turned off its transponder after Iraqi’s oil ministry warned the KRG it would file legal action if KRG oil exports reached American soil.
On Friday, Reuters reported the ship had been spotted off the coast of Malta and appeared to be empty.
The oil tanker, chartered by Vitol, was last spotted in waters near the east coast of Canada late last month after turning off its transponder.
At the time, Kurdistan’s Minister of Natural Resources told Reuters that his government is not directly involved in the in the sale to final buyers of their product. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) sells its crude oil on a “free-on-board” basis, he said.
In a court case filed in Canada’s Federal Court by the Iraqi government, a judge issued a warrant for the “arrest of the cargo of approx. 721,915 barrels of crude oil” on June 29.
According Federal Court records, the warrant has not been executed.
The Neverland turned off its transponder after Iraqi’s oil ministry warned the KRG it would file legal action if KRG oil exports reached American soil.
On Friday, Reuters reported the ship had been spotted off the coast of Malta and appeared to be empty.