Complete Maritime Profile & Reviews of Aljafzia

**Title: Mumbai High Court Orders Detention of Three Tankers at Alang Ship Recycling Yard** In a significant ruling, the Mumbai High Court has directed the relocation of three detained vessels — 'Stellar Ruby', 'Asphalt Star', and 'Chiltern' (formerly known as 'Al Jafzia') — to the Alang ship recycling yard in Gujarat. This decision follows their interception by the Indian Coast Guard on February 6, while they were anchored approximately 100 nautical miles off the coast of Mumbai. The owners of the tankers sought the court's intervention, filing a petition requesting the release of their vessels and the ability to resume operations pending ongoing investigations. However, the court, in a ruling issued on May 6, highlighted concerns over maritime safety and the navigational hazards associated with keeping the vessels anchored for an extended duration. The Indian Coast Guard has accused these vessels of engaging in unauthorized ship-to-ship (STS) transfer operations involving Iranian bitumen and fuel — a claim supported by allegations that they employed deceptive practices such as disabling their location-tracking systems. During the proceedings on May 6, legal representatives for both the Coast Guard and the Director General of Shipping informed the court of a prior ruling made on May 5, which ordered the release of 50 seafarers who had endured harsh living conditions aboard the detained vessels for nearly three months. Reports indicate that these crew members were surviving on a meager 300 ml of potable water per day, with no access to electricity or essential supplies. Although the vessel owners requested more time to arrange for crew replacements, the court declined this plea, emphasizing the elevated risks to maritime security posed by uncrewed vessels. The advocate representing the Coast Guard argued for their immediate transfer to the Alang recycling yard, noting that resolution of ongoing legal disputes could be a lengthy process. In light of these considerations, the court firmly rejected the owners' plea to allow the vessels to set sail freely and mandated their relocation to Alang, where they will remain under the supervision of authorities until the matter is resolved.

On Feb 6, 2026, the Indian Coast Guard busted an International oil-smuggling racket in a meticulously coordinated sea–air operation. The syndicate exploited mid-sea transfers in international waters to move cheap oil from conflict ridden regions to tankers, evading duties owed to coastal states. Acting on tech enabled surveillance and data-pattern analysis,the Coast Guard intercepted three suspect vessels about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai as part of of a coordinated operation to dismantle an international oil-smuggling network linked to Iranian petroleum flows, the 'Chiltern', 'Asphalt Star' and 'Stellar Ruby'. The 'Asphalt Star' conducted a bunkering operation with the 'Stellar Ruby', which started on Feb 7, 2026, at 03:48 a.m. UTC, and lasted until Feb 8 at 08:46 a.m. Prior to the operation, the three tankers listed different Indian ports as their destinations, before all updating their AIS destination to Mumbai on Feb 8. All three vessels were listed under OFAC sanctions. Sustained rummaging, electronic data corroboration, and crew interrogation exposed the modus operandi and a global handler network. The vessels were known to frequently change identity, and were escorted to Mumbai for further legal action. A thorough investigation, including corroboration of electronic data onboard the vessels, verification of vessel and cargo documents, and interrogation of crew members, enabled authorities to piece together the smugglers' modus operandi.