Switzerland is to take legal action following the seizure of an ABC Maritime tanker in Nigeria in January 2018.
Swiss media reported that talks have failed to secure the release of the 7,600-dwt San Padre Pio (built 2012), which is anchored near Port Harcourt.
A year ago, the Nigerian navy said in a statement that the vessel, with 16 Ukrainian crew and about 5,000 tons of cargo aboard, was held over unauthorised entry into Nigeria's waters and illicit fuel trade.
Captain Andriy Vaskov told Ukrainian media at the time that the tanker had permission from Nigeria to ship the cargo.
It was their fifth entry into the country with oil products.
The SonntagsZeitung newspaper said the case is now set to come before the UN-affiliated International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
“Switzerland should make full use of all means to safeguard its interests. The country considers that the seizure of the vessel constitutes a violation of international law,” the foreign ministry told the newspaper.
The ministry confirmed that four Ukrainian crew members remain stranded on the ship in “difficult conditions”.
The rest were allowed to leave the ship about six weeks after the incident.
The report says that the state, as underwriter of the tanker and its owner, stands to lose millions if the cargo goes undelivered.
The amount of the guarantee is not specified, the newspaper said.
ABC said the situation continued to be a matter for the Swiss authorities and it was not able to make any further statement.
