Illegal Fuel Bunkering Disrupted in Vietnam; Two Vessels Seized

April 14: Vietnam law enforcement agencies, assisted by Coast Guard, on Apr 14 seized Korean tanker PIONEER SPIRIT and Vietnamese tanker QNG 0350 in waters of Quang Ngai province in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam, when the ships were engaged in illegal cargo [fuel] transfer.

QNG 0350 was to offload from PIONEER SPIRIT some 8000 tons of gasoline and deliver it to Sa Ky port. The latter’s AIS has reportedly been turned off since early April. Both tankers, seized in international waters, were taken to nearest Vietnamese port for further investigation.

Source: Maritime Bulletin