Fleeing Super Tanker With 3 Million Barrels Of Stolen Crude Oil From Nigeria Seized In Equatorial Guinea

The Nigerian Navy confirmed on Wednesday that an oil super tanker, MV HEROIC IDUN, carrying three million barrels of Nigerian crude oil, was intercepted in Equatorial Guinea.

The super tanker was seized by the Equatorial Guinea Navy after the 300,000 metric tonnes facility escaped from its forces, according to the report.

The vessel, with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) number 9858058, was apprehended with the assistance of intelligence provided by the Nigerian Navy to that country (NN).

When it was first seen around the AKPO Deep off-shore oil field operated by a multinational firm at midnight on August 7, the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) GONGOLA interrogated the super tanker, which has a capacity to lift about three million barrels of crude oil.

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The vessel was spotted using the NN’s Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) system, and its actions were suspicious, prompting NNS GONGOLA to establish contact and interrogate the vessel. Interrogation revealed that the ship, alleged to have entered the country’s waters to load products, lacked both the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Ltd.’s loading permit and the necessary documents to be in the country’s waters.

The Marshall Islands flagged the ship, with a 26-member crew consisting of 16 Indians, eight Sri Lankans, a Pole, and one Filipino, and directed it to proceed to Bonny Fairway, in Rivers State, for further interrogation and Vessel Boarding Search and Seizure (VBSS), However, it increased its speed and changed course to face Sao Tome and Principe.