MT Heroic Idun: We’re under pressure to release crew — Navy, NIMASA

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MT Heroic Idun: We’re under pressure to release crew — Navy, NIMASA

THERE are strong indications that the Federal Government is under pressure to release a rogue tanker, MT Heroic Idun, after a failed attempt to lift crude oil without clearance from Akpo oil field in Nigeria. 

The vessel was arrested on August 12, 2022, in Equatorial Guinea, shortly after fleeing Nigerian waters and also raising false alarm that it was being pursued by sea pirates. 

Vanguard was reliably informed that owners of the affected vessel and countries, whose nationals were crew on the vessel, are mounting pressure on the Federal Government to settle out-of-court.

The arrested vessel and crew, who were arrested by the Nigerian Navy in collaboration with the Guinean authorities, are already in detention but Vanguard gathered that there are moves to get them released.

It was further gathered that the Nigerian Navy secured the return of the ship to Nigeria for prosecution after providing evidence that it unlawfully called at an offshore facility in the nation’s EEZ.

A source, who spoke with Vanguard in confidence, said there has been a push for out-of-court settlement by the Ambassadors of the various countries of the detained crew members of the ship.

Confirming the development, the naval spokesperson; Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan confirmed that there has been a push for plea bargaining, but said the process has not yet been firmed-up.

He, however, disclosed that the next court hearing has been fixed for April 28, 2023.

Ayo-Vaughan said: “Recall also that the crew is majorly Indians, Sri Lankans and Polish nationals. All of them are facing charges, so that’s the update on Heroic Idun. 

“The charges brought against them border on unlawful entrance into the Akpo oil field, raising false piracy alarm to avoid arrest and an attempt to lift crude oil without clearance.

“Although there has been a push for plea bargaining and out-of-court settlement, a lot of Ambassadors have tried to make case for them, but it has not yet been firmed up.

“The case is in court. The last hearing was held on April 11, 2023, and it has been adjourned to April 28.”

Move for out-of-court settlement

Corroborating the naval spokesperson, the Director General Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh confirmed the move for an out-of-court settlement.

Jamoh, however, noted that the process is yet to be concluded.

He said: “We are in court and the owners came and said we want an out-of-court settlement, but the process is yet to be firmed up. The court adjourned till the 28th of this month. We will now come out with a harmonized position to settle the matter.”

Reacting to the planned out-of-court settlement of the crew members, former President of the Nigerian Indigenous Shipowners Association, NISA, Isaac Jolapamo, warned that there are dangers over the continued detention of the vessel.

Jolapamo said: “You can have a bond for the vessel to leave and continue trading; it is only in Nigeria that vessels are detained while the case is going on. Detaining the vessel is tying peoples’ investment down. Detention is no more in vogue.

It is only in Nigeria that you can keep peoples’ vessels for three years and at the end of the day, these vessels take in water and depreciate.”

Why FG should release crew—NAMM boss 

Also speaking, the president, National Association of Master Mariners, NAMM, Capt. Tajudeen Alao, called for the release of the crew members on plea bargaining.

He argued that seafarers should not be punished for a crime they are not guilty of.

Alao said: “We are players in the international market and there is a general agreement by ILO, IMO that seafarers shouldn’t be punished for such crime

“They are not the owners of the vessels, they should go for the owners, they should not look at seafarers as criminals, they should go after the big men

“So, they can track the cargo instead of punishing seafarers and discouraging seafarers from going to the sea, which is not good, they are treating them like criminals. By now, Nigeria should have put up a standard procedure to handle this kind of matter.”