Echo-Star

The 'Echo Star' which was arrested in Singapore on Nov 7, 2019, has been released, as of Dec 21 and headed to Dong Guan, ETA Dec 27.

The 'Echo Star' was seized at the request of the Blue Fleet Group. According to authorities, collision claims files with the High Court of Singapore by the company has led to the arrest of the vessel. Court records indicated that the claim was filed in connection to damage caused to the 'Royal Arsenal' while the vessel was trading as 'Gas Infinity' for the sanctioned Chinese shipowner KunLun Shipping. The 'Echo Star' , which took cargo from the Iran in Mid-October and was crossing the Singapore Strait, was seized in Singapore in a laden condition.

A court in Singapore has given the owner of the 'Echo Star' carrying Iranian liquid gas one week to either come forward or it would auction the vessel. In July 2019, Singapore port authorities had seized two oil tankers owned by the Chinese Kunlun Shipping Company carrying Iranian petroleum products. They were registered under the names "Gas Infinity", recently renamed as "Echo Star" and 'Gas Dragon' renamed as 'Nexo'. The 'Echo Star' which used to carry Iranian LPG since last July to China, has been sanctioned by Washington, but continued its operation by using deceptive techniques to cover the origin of cargoes she was delivering - by turning off her AIS transponder while loading from Iranian terminals and receiving Iranian-sourced cargo via ship-to-ship (STS) transfers at Malacca Strait. The vessel released last July reappeared in mid-October in Singapore ports. The 'Echo Star' took cargo from Iran mid-October and was crossing the Singapore Strait when it was seized again and listed on the "vessels under Sheriff's arrest" section. Now, the vessel has a seven-day notice to settle the judgment, or a sale by public auction will be arranged about six weeks after the arrest. The tanker was moored on the West Annchorage off Singapore in pos. 01° 10.56' N 103° 42.24' E. The 'Nexo' is currently idle and anchored in the Persian Gulf waters. The U.S. added the Chinese Kunlun Shipping company to its "blacklist" for violating sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic. The Chinese company and a sister bank are registered in the British Virgin Island. China is the sole buyer of Iranian LPG and also imports a limited amount of crude oil from the Islamic Republic.