Ship-to-ship transfers of Russian crude, which went through a phase of high activity in April this year in the Western Mediterranean near Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, only to be paused for a few months, now appear to have resumed.
Tanker Tiburon (IMO 9283291) recently collected about 100,000 tonnes of Urals crude from a similar-sized vessel, the Lucia (IMO 9250892), reported Reuters. The oil had been loaded onto the Lucia at Ust-Luga, Russia. The transfer was the first in the area since early April.
2005-built, Palau-flagged, 61,274 gt Tiburon is listed as owned by Black Pearl marine Ltd care of manager Adel hip Management of Chisinau, Moldova. As of August 16th it was between Sicily and Tunisia, heading for Port Said, ETA August 19th. It had left Cochin Anchorage, India, on June 23rd.
2003-built, Vietnam-flagged, 58,166 gt Lucia is owned by Ha Trang Petrol Transportation of Hanoi, Vietnam. It is managed by Sealink Transport Service Co of Hanoi, Vietnam. As of August 16th the vessel was in the English Channel, near Guernsey, heading for Vene Balti, Estonia (ETA August 22nd), having left Ust-Luga, Russia, on July 27th.