Iraq detains Liberian oil tanker off Basra coast
2025-08-06T09:10:52+00:00
Shafaq News – Basra
Iraqi naval forces detained a Liberian-flagged oil tanker on Wednesday during an inspection operation off the coast of Basra, as part of a broader audit of all oil tankers in the area.
An official from Iraq’s ports authority told Shafaq News that three tankers were inspected, with one Liberian vessel held temporarily pending verification of its documentation from its owning company. “If the company fails to submit the official papers within 48 hours, the case will be referred to the Iraqi judiciary,” the official said.
The inspection was carried out in the side-loading zone within Iraqi territorial waters. The detained tanker is estimated to have a capacity of about 250,000 tons of crude oil.
