Indian Ship MT Desh Shanti illegally detained by Iran Army

Indian Ship MT Desh Shanti, carrying 140,000 tonnes of Crude Petroleum from Iraq was illegally detained by Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, while it was passing through Iranian Sea Water. According to some reports, it was detained while passing through International Water and later brought to Iranian Water. The Ship is owned by SHipping Corporation of India.

Iranians are citing Environmental concerns as the reason behind detention. MT Desh Shanti has been diverted to Khor Musa port in Iran’s Khuzestan province from its earlier location of Bandar Abbas.

All attempts by Indian Authorities to free the ship in last 24 hours has failed. Iranians have agreed to release the vessel only after securing an anti-pollution undertaking undertaking from the captain of the ship.

Iran says that an oil ballast from the MT DEsh Shanti left a 10-mile-long stain on Iranian waters in the Persian Gulf. Indian Authorities deny this saying that there was no evidence to suggest any environmental pollution, moreover if pollution indeed was the reason for detaining the ship, they did not have to forcibly pull the vessel out of international waters and take it all the way to Iranian Water.

The development assumes significance as it comes at a time when India has taken steps to reduce its crude imports from Iran.

The country has cut oil imports from Iran, after sanctions imposed by the US and the EU.

India’s crude imports from Iran plunged by more than 26.5 per cent in the 2012-13 financial year (April-March) as US and European sanctions on Tehran combined to make it difficult for Indian refiners to ship Iranian oil.

Imports of Iranian crude fell to 13.3 million metric tonne (mt), or close to 267,100 barrels per day(b/d), in 2012-13 from 18.1 million mt, or around 362,500 b/d, in 2011-12.

Earlier sources had said Iran had slipped to sixth place among India’s top crude suppliers in the year to March 31 from second place behind OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia in the previous financial year.

Imports from Iran were as high as 21.2 million mt, or 425,000 b/d, in 2009-10 before dropping to 18.5 million mt, or 371,520 b/d in 2010-11.

India’s total volume of imported crude, meanwhile, rose to 182.5 million mt, or 3.67 million b/d, in 2012-13 from 171.7 million mt (3.44 million b/d) in 2011-12, 163.4 million mt (3.28 million mt) in 2010-11 and 159.2 million mt (3.2 million b/d) in 2009-10.