Iranian Tanker Master Sentenced to Seven Years for Pollution

The captain of the Iranian tanker Arman 114 has been sentenced to seven years in prison after he disappeared and missed several court dates related to an illicit ship-to-ship (STS) transfer off Indonesia’s Riau Islands. Iran is known for transshipping oil between “shadow fleet” tankers in Southeast Asia, where spills are common in these unregulated transfers. The vessels involved often have changeable names, ownership structures, and flags, making verification difficult.

On July 7, 2023, Arman 114 was caught engaging in an STS transfer with a vessel claiming to be the scrapped S Tinos. The Indonesian Coast Guard detained Arman 114 and her crew after they attempted to flee into Malaysian waters. The captain, identified as Mahmoud Mohamed Abdelaziz Hatiba, was charged with water pollution, but denied being the captain during the trial.

Despite Hatiba’s denial, he was convicted in absentia on July 10 and sentenced to seven years in prison for intentional water pollution. The Iranian-flagged vessel and its cargo have been seized, but ownership remains uncertain. Indonesia’s government sees the case as a warning to foreign ships looking to dump waste in their waters. Iran has denied ownership of the tanker and requested its release.

Source .