The Indonesian coastguards seized an Iran-flagged supertanker suspected of illegally transporting oil earlier this week.
Head of Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) Aan Kurnia told reporters that Vessel Arman 114 was carrying 272,000 tons of crude oil valued at 4.6 trillion rupiahs ($304 million).
It was suspected of transferring the oil to another vessel without a permit, according to the official.
Bakamla said MT Arman was also suspected of violating other maritime regulations, such as manipulating its automatic identification system (AIS).
Bakamla chief Aan Kurnia revealed that the vessel was captured after it was spotted near Indonesia’s North Natuna Sea conducting a ship-to-ship oil transfer with the Cameroon-flagged MT S Tinos.
“MT Arman was spoofing their AIS to show that its position was on the Red Sea but in reality, it is here. So it seems like they already had malicious intent,” Aan noted, adding that the MT S Tinos was supposed to have been scrapped in 2018.
“We have to be firm, tough. There has to be a deterrent effect so it will not happen again,” he mentioned.
