US Seizes Cameroon-Flagged Small Clean Products Tanker

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Monday August 2, 2021

The US authorities have seized a Cameroon-flagged small clean products tanker over alleged North Korean sanctions breaches.

A New York federal court entered a judgement of forfeiture over the 2,734 DWT oil products tanker Courageous on Friday, the US Justice Department said in a statement on its website. The US alleges the vessel was used for ship-to-ship transfers of oil products with North Korean vessels.

"According to court documents, payments to purchase the Courageous, to obtain oil for supplying to North Korea using the Courageous, and to procure necessary services for the Courageous were made using U.S. dollars through unwitting U.S. banks, in violation of U.S. law and United Nations Security Council resolutions," the Justice Department said in the statement.

"On April 23, 2021, a civil forfeiture action was filed against M/T Courageous.

"Criminal charges of conspiracy to evade economic sanctions on the DPRK and money laundering conspiracy are pending against the alleged owner and operator of the Courageous, Kwek Kee Seng, a Singaporean national who remains at large."