Switzerland is asking the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to settle the ongoing controversy with Nigeria over an arrested ABC Maritime tanker.
Tuesday, the country asked the UN-backed body to release the Swiss-flagged 7,600-dwt San Padre Pio (built 2012) and the four crew members who remain on board, arguing its January 2018 arrest breached the ship's freedom of navigation and Switzerland's right to exercise jurisdiction over it.
The Nigerian Navy accused the San Padre Pio, laden with 5,000 tonnes of cargo, and its 16 Ukrainian crew members of entering the country's territorial waters to engage in illicit ship-to-ship transfers of gasoil.
The ship's captain, Andriy Vaskov, told Ukrainian media that the ship had permission to move the 5,000 tonnes of cargo through Nigerian waters. It was the ship's fifth entry into the country.
In April, Swiss media reported that the remaining crew members were dealing with "difficult conditions" in Port Harcourt, where the ship has been moored since its seizure.
The same month, pirates fired on the ship in an attempted raid. They fled when Nigerian Navy guards fired back.
In addition to freeing the ship, Switzerland is requesting Nigeria suspend all proceedings and refrain from beginning new ones.
A date for hearings will be set at a later date.
