The Greek-owned tanker St. Nikolas has been redirected and is reportedly being held at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, reports on Friday evening revealed.
Earlier, Iranian state media released a video showing the hijacking of the vessel by Iranian military personnel as it was sailing in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday. The vessel, managed by Empire Navigation, is staffed by a crew of 18 Filipinos and one Greek merchant seaman.
The shipping company on Friday said all satellite communications with the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel had ceased the previous day, while all relevant Greek and international authorities have been informed of the incident.
The tanker, previously known as the Suez Rajan, took a cargo of 145,000 metric tons of crude oil from Basra, Iraq, last week and was bound for Aliaga in Turkey via the Suez Canal. Empire Navigation said the charterer is the company Tupras.
In a statement, the company said it has “…has informed the competent Greek and international authorities from the first moment and is in close and continuous cooperation with them as well as with the families of the crew members.”
In a reaction out of Washington, a US State Department spokesman condemned the seizure of the oil tanker by the Iranian military and called for the immediate release of the vessel and its crew.
“This unlawful seizure of a commercial vessel is just the latest behavior by Iran or enabled by Iran aimed at disrupting international commerce,” State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel told Thursday, adding that the US will continue to consult with regional partners about appropriate steps to hold the Islamic Republic accountable.
