A National Iranian Tanker Co (NITC) VLCC has suffered a technical breakdown in the Red Sea near Saudi port of Yanbu.
According to local reports it sent a distress signal yesterday. The NITC has told the Iranian Oil Ministry that the 317,000-dwt Helm (built 2008) is undergoing repairs and is in stable condition.
“The crew of the tanker are busy fixing the defect and the vessel is in a stable situation from the safety standpoint,” NITC technical director Akbar Jabalameli said, according to Iranian news reports on Twitter.
The vessel, listed as under US sanctions, was reportedly heading for Suez loaded with 1.3-million barrels of Iranian Crude.
The breakdown comes amid heightened political tensions between Iran and the West over Iranian oil shipments.
Earlier this week the 300,000-dwt Iranian tanker Adrian Darya 1 (built 2008), formerly the Grace 1, was released from Gibraltar after it had been seized by the UK for breaking sanctions.
