General National Maritime Transport Company fears an aframax tanker detained for more than a year in Bulgaria is being prepared for sale.
The 116,000-dwt Badr (built 2008) was arrested in Burgas last November and a fresh twist in the long-running dispute saw armed men force the captain and crew from the ship on 21 December, GNMTC claimed.
Now, the state-backed Libyan shipowner believes the other party in the drama is looking to sell the ship.
“Attempts are being made for the illegal and unauthorized sale and transfer of the Libyan flagged vessel Badr,” it said in a statement.
Bulgarian authorities have been contacted for comment on the matter.
TradeWinds first reported on the detention of the Badr in February.
At that time it emerged GNMTC was pushing to secure the release of the tanker, which was caught in the middle of a “fake mortgage” fight following its arrest in November.
While a Burgas Appeal Court ordered the ship released in January this year, a regional court quickly countered with an order to stop the ship leaving port.
In June TradeWinds reported criminal allegations had been made in Greece and Bulgaria and the Joint War Committee of the Lloyd’s Market Association had been called in to assist.
At that time GNMTC had also sought the backing of Interpol.
According to the Libyan owner, it has previously prevented an auction sale of the vessel.
