EMEA News
Oil Tanker Evades Arrest After Bunkering
An oil tanker evaded arrest in Malta last month, raising potential concerns about the country's reputation in the maritime industry, after Valetta's port authority waited an hour to raise the alarm, the Time of Malta reports.
The MT Atlantik was served with an arrest warrant from Maltese courts while bunkering off St. Paul's Bay.
Rather than informing the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM), the Valletta Ports Vessel Traffic Service ordered the ship to drop anchor, and the AFM was not asked to intercept it until an hour later, when it was already out of Maltese territorial waters.
The response to the ship's evasion of arrest may have been complicated by a celebration of the anniversary of Malta's entry into the European Union (EU), which the army's maritime section was monitoring.
The government has launched an inquiry into the incident, which is expected to be completed next week, but the Malta Independent reports it is not clear if the results will be made public.
The arrest was ordered because of a dispute over the ownership of the tanker, which is registered in the Marshall Islands.
Malta has been working to develop its status as a hub for maritime business activity.
