Jakarta
Indonesia’s Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) is still investigating two foreign vessels alleged of conducting an illegal ship-to-ship (STS) crude oil transfer operation on Sunday in the waters off Pontianak, West Kalimantan province. “The two vessels are still en route to Batam. We expect them to arrive tomorrow [Jan. 26],” Bakamla sea operations director Cdre. Suwito told The Jakarta Post on Monday. Suwito added that the vessels were under the escort of Bakamla patrol vessel KN Marore 322, with the reinforcement of patrol vessel KN Belut Laut 406. KN Marore 322 intercepted the Iranian flagged MT Horse and Panamanian flagged MT Freya “red-handed” as the two tankers were conducting an STS oil transfer operation, having turned off their Automatic Identification System (AIS), lowered their flags and covered up the vessels’ names. Both tanker...