A bunker dispute between Hanoi-based Sao Viet Petrol Transport and Dubai-based Simplefuel DMCC led to one of the Vietnamese tanker owner’s aframaxes spending a short spell under arrest in Singapore.
Simplefuel arrested the 107,000-dwt tanker Mira (built 2003) on 14 December after filing a $942,000 bunker claim with the High Court of Singapore. The vessel was at the time on a voyage from the Russian port of Ust-Luga to an as-yet undisclosed Asian port.
Singapore is a popular jurisdiction for bunker suppliers seeking to seize ships against bunker claims. These disputes are usually settled quickly, with the owner or charterer of the arrested vessel either paying their bill or providing security while a contested claim is settled in a court or through arbitration.
This proved to be the case with the Mira arrest. The tanker was released from arrest on Monday.
Sao Viet is a relatively new privately owned tanker operator. Established in 2020, the company went on a vessel-buying binge the following year when it acquired no less than eight tankers of various types.
The company’s fleet currently comprises a VLCC, a suezmax, three aframaxes, four product tankers and a VLGC.
Vessel tracking data shows that Sao Viet’s crude carriers have been recently shipping Russian crude oil to China, while its product tankers have been operating between Vietnam and European ports.
TradeWinds was unable to contact Sao Viet for further comment on the Mira’s arrest.
