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The contact person for the Norwegian company that owns the ship “Royal Diamond 7” tells VG that they currently do not know more about the case than what has appeared in the media.
The Norwegian-owned Royal Diamond 7 was detained in an EU operation, suspected of violating the UN arms embargo on Libya, on Thursday.
The suspicion of Operation Irini was that the tanker was carrying aviation fuel for alleged military use in Libya.
– We are working to get more information about what happened, writes Knut Bringedal in a message to VG.
He is the contact person in Norwegian GSH2 Chem Prod Carrier I AS, owner of the ship that was detained outside Libya.
Bringedal notes that “the ship is commercially and technically controlled by Norstar in Singapore.”
Norstar Shipping manages a fleet of around 20 tankers, according to its website.
– From what we understand, Norstar is in a good dialogue with the EU to clarify the situation around potentially sanctioned cargo, writes Bringedal.
VG has asked Bringedal if they know if the EU suspicion implies veracity and if they, as owners, have no responsibility for the cargo carried by Royal Diamond 7.
– Unfortunately, we do not know more than what has appeared in the media, Bringedal replies, referring to a press contact at Norstar.
VG has not yet contacted Norstar Shipping.
ARRESTED: Here Royal Diamond 7 is detained by Operation Irini off the coast of Libya. Photo: OPERATION IRINI
Broken several times
As part of a UN-backed peace process, a government led by Fayez al-Sarraj was appointed in February 2016.
The country’s military forces are divided between those who support the UN-backed government and those who support the rebel General Khalifa Haftar and his powerful LNA militia.
The arms embargo against Libya has been broken several times since it was implemented.
Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are among the countries providing support to Haftar’s forces in the east, while Turkey is the main supporter of the Tripoli government in the west, according to the UN.
Operation Irini was launched in May of this year.
