The General National Maritime Transport Company of Libya (GNMTC), owner of the crude oil tanker MT Badr that was seized by Bulgarian authorities last week, issued a warning over the attempted sale of the company’s vessel.
“Notice is hereby given that attempts are being made for the illegal and unauthorized sale and transfer of the Libyan flagged vessel Badr (IMO No 9356426), currently at the port of Burgas, Bulgaria. Any transaction involving any change in the legal status of the M/V Badr effected by any person other than its legitimate owners, Libyan Navigator Limited, is null and void,” the company said.
The company informed last week that the captain and crew members of MT Badr were forced to disembark their ship on December 21, while at Burgas anchorage, by a group of armed men, claiming to be members of the Bulgarian border police.
The company told World Maritime News that once their crew members left the vessel a replacement crew was deployed to the ship, which was seized by Bulgarian authorities. The company’s seafarers have since arrived to their homes, GNMTC added.
The ship has been detained by the Port Authority of Burgas since November 2017 over an alleged unpaid mortgage to Bulgarian-based oil and gas contractor Bulgargeomin. The company denies the claims that it owes a USD 9.23 million mortgage on the crude oil carrier and has provided evidence the mortgage was falsified.
In January 2018, the Bulgarian Supreme Court ordered the vessel’s release, however, the vessel remained in detention ever since.
World Maritime News Staff