By Libya Herald reporter.
Tunis, 28 August 2017:
The Libyan coastguard has arrested an oil tanker and taken it to Tripoli on suspicion of trying to smuggle oil out of the country. The vessel is reported to be the Greek-owned, Liberian-flagged, Levante.
“The Libyan Coast Guard has seized the ship, which is estimated to be about 149 meters long, trying to smuggle 6,000 tons, equivalent to 6 million litres of oil,” navy spokesman Ayoub Gasim announced in Tripoli.
He said that the tanker had been seized off Zawia, and that there were 20 crew members on board, mostly Filipinos. An investigation was now underway, he added.
The Levante is operated by Athens-based company Evalend Shipping Tankers.
“We have no communication [with the tanker] so far. We are not in a position to give any information,” a company spokesman told the Libya Herald.
