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A Norwegian-owned ship was boarded by EU forces on its way to Benghazi in Libya. The ship is being investigated for breach of the arms embargo against the country.
Operation Irini is a military operation launched by the EU to control the UN arms embargo on Libya, a key part of seeking peace in the country.
An arms embargo is a ban on the export of arms to a specific country or countries.
Libya has been plagued by chaos and anarchy since rebels with air support from Norway and other NATO countries toppled Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011.
The EU’s Operation Irini now reports on its website that the Royal Diamond 7 tanker, which sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands, has been reviewed and is suspected of violating the embargo.
The reason is that it has had aviation fuel on board, which the EU believes should be used for military purposes.
– This is considered military material by the UN, writes the operation on its website.
The ship was boarded by Operation Irini at 0700 on Thursday morning about 150 kilometers north of Libya.
Royal Diamond 7 came from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and was heading to Benghazi in Libya, according to the operation.
ARRESTED: Here Royal Diamond 7 is detained by Operation Irini off the coast of Libya. Photo: OPERATION IRINI
Unanswered queries
According to the Singapore company Norstar Shipping, the ship is part of its fleet, but owned by the Norwegian company Gsh 2 Chem-Prod Carrier I AS, which, among other things, rents and leases shipping equipment.
Norwegian financier Jørgen Pleym Ulvness is chairman of the board of Gsh 2 Chem-Prod Carrier I AS, according to the Brønnøysund Register.
The company is owned by Global Skipsholding 2 AS. Pleym Ulvness is also Chairman of the parent company.
VG has called and SMS Ulvness, but has not responded to inquiries.
The companies’ contact person, Knut Bringedal, has also not responded to VG’s inquiries.
THE TABLE SENT: Operation Irini used a helicopter and laid off crews for Royal Diamond 7.
Board Member: I definitely mean it
However, the answer is Alf Olsen, who is a member of the board of Global Skipsholding 2 AS.
– I definitely mean it, says Olsen when asked by VG if Royal Diamond 7 is his tanker.
– I know the name of Royal Diamond, says Olsen. Confirm that they are purchasing management services from Norstar Shipping in Singapore.
Arrested in Indonesia
In Global Skipsholding 2’s annual accounts for 2019, Royal Diamond 7 is mentioned in connection with the arrest by Indonesian authorities.
– The company’s insurer handles the case and the group receives insurance amounts for lost rental income according to market rates, it says in the annual accounts.
Global Skipsholding 2 AS also claims that it owns Royal Diamond 7 through its subsidiary in a 2015 quarterly report.
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.
