Products tanker detained off Spanish Canary Islands for illegal discharge

London (Quantum Commodity Intelligence) - Spanish authorities have detained a tanker after it was spotted illegally discharging oil into the sea off the Canary Islands, causing a 55 sq km oil spot in the Atlantic, Lloyds List Maritime Intelligence reported Wednesday.

Mitma, the Spanish transport ministry, ordered the Liberia-flagged, 2003-built, 47,147 dwt Aldan (IMO: 9258014) to divert to port at Almeria on June 13 after the European Maritime Safety Agency satellite spotted the discharge 147 miles (237 km) northwest of La Palma.

Lloyds List said the vessel also had links to US-sanctioned oil trades with Venezuela.

The illegal discharge created a 55 sq km oil stain in the Atlantic, Mitma said, adding that the vessel would remain detained until "those responsible" paid a security.

Lloyd's List Intelligence lists Aldan's owner as Muhit Maritime FZE, registered in the United Arab Emirates' Jebel Ali Free Zone.

Muhit Maritime was one of three companies under investigation in the UAE for shipping Venezuelan crude late last year, although no results of the investigation have been published.

The product tanker has engaged in what the US administration describes as deceptive shipping practices, with multiple gaps in its vessel-tracking data and multiple changes of ownership and name.

It was bought in December 2019 by Greece-based operators Eurotankers and renamed Eurotrader, but quickly resold three months later to the Emirati company, which gave it the name Aldan.