Agreement reached to deliver MV Arctic Sea back to its owners

26/10/2009

An agreement has been reached for the mv Arctic Sea to be delivered back to its owners outside Maltese territorial waters, later this week.

The owners of the vessel are expected to send a new crew to board the ship and to request Maltese authorities’ permission for the ship to enter its homeport, since it is registered under the Malta flag. The ship will only be allowed to Malta provided her safety has been ascertained by the Civil Protection Department, the Malta Maritime Authority and the Police authorities. In this regard, the Malta Maritime Authority , both as the flag State Administration and the responsible Authority for the Port is working closely with the Civil Protection Department, the Armed Forces of Malta, the Police, Security Services and Customs department to inspect the ship. A commercial tug will tow the vessel into port once it has been cleared.

The Russian Authorities have already declared that the ship is safe and that she carries no illegal or unsafe cargo onboard. The owners have also stated that to the best of their knowledge there is no illegal or unsafe cargo on the vessel and that she carries no other cargo other than that appearing on the ship’s manifest.

The ship will enter Malta to undergo repairs, mainly to its communication systems, and for surveys and certification according to international conventions.

Malta Maritime Authority