Intertanko Objects Nigerian Tanker Ban

The International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (Intertanko) has issued a letter of protest to Nigerian National Petroleum Corp (NITC) against the oil corporation’s decision to ban 113 tankers from Nigerian waters.

According to the decision, 113 tankers were banned “from engaging in crude oil/gas loading activities in any of the terminals within the Nigerian territorial waters until further notice.”

NNPC said that the ban had been ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari, but reasons behind the decision had not been disclosed.

The list of tankers consists of mostly Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), with some ship names appearing twice and others that have been absent from Nigerian waters for quite some time.

“Intertanko protests in the strongest possible way that these bans should be lifted with immediate effect until grounds and evidence for the ban have been given to each vessel and vessel owner/operator, and the owner/operator has had an opportunity to respond,” said Intertanko general counsel Michael White in a letter addressed to Gbenga O. Komolafe, the group general manager of NNPC’s crude oil marketing division.

According to White, many of the tankers on the list have been absent from Nigerian waters for quite some time, hence their owners find it difficult to understand why have they been blacklisted.

World Maritime News Staff