Kurds Urge for Clearance of United Kalavrvta’s Unloading

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of Iraq asked a U.S. court on Monday to dismiss seizure order of 1 million barrels of disputed crude oil and allow the cargo to be freely delivered in Texas, Reuters reports.

The idle United Kalavrvta pending unloading amid cargo ownership dispute has clocked up nine days anchored off Texas.

The oil tanker was prevented from unloading by a Texas judge, who subsequently withdrew seizure of the vessel for lack of jurisdiction. Nevertheless, if the oil tanker were to enter U.S. territorial waters the order would enter into force immediately.

Chemicals firm LyondellBasell confirmed to had purchased a certain amount of Kurdish oil, hinting that the cargo has been caught up in a legal dispute. However, it did not specifically indicate whether this amount relates to that onboard United Kalavrvta.

Kurdish leadership has encountered numerous obstacles in their attempts to sell oil independently.

Two more tankers loaded with Kurdish oil had experienced similar issues, the United Leadership, which has been anchored off Morocco for almost two months and United Emblem, which managed recently to unload its cargo into another tanker in the South China Sea.

All three tankers are managed by Piraeus-based Marine Management Services M.C.

World Maritime News Staff