Monrovia- FrontPage Africa has gathered that a vessel carrying smuggled petrol products from crisis pronged Russia is attempting to dock in Monrovia to have the smuggled petrol products put on the Liberian market.
As per investigation the vessel known as EUROTRADER loaded in Primorsk, Russia and has been finding a country to dock and offload the smuggled petrol product because it has been rejected in many other countries.
The vessel made it way to Monrovia last month after struggling for long period in finding a country allow it dock.
Investigation has also uncovered that the vessel arrived in Liberian waters on May 6, 2024 but couldn’t discharge as it was coming directly from Russia.
In attempt to have the vessel dock in Liberia, the crew are believed to have changed the origin to conceal its true identity.
FPA has also learnt that Liberian security forces have been informed about the vessel and are on the alert.
The question lingering is whether Liberia considering its ties with the United States of America will accept to trade products from Russia or Belarus which is inadvertently supporting the invasion of Ukraine.
The vessel, in a strange trend shows the destination as Mohammedia when it is outside the Liberia waters looking to enter the Liberian Commerce.
A search for the vessel on shows that it’s bound for Mohamedia on Marine Traffic. The international tracking system, Marine Traffic which is used to track all vessels, shows Mohamedia as the destination when the vessel is already in Liberia waters.
Others believe that with corruption pervasive in the country, it is risky and the vessel could likely find its way by beating the system to dock in Liberia.
LPRC Regulations to be violated
FPA has also gathered that another vessel carrying offspec Gasoil with sulfur content above the standard 500ppm set by Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC) has been lingering outside the Liberian waters looking for a country to discharge the product which is not acceptable in any country in West Africa.
The vessel –Summer 7 has accordingly been lingering offshore Monrovia for two weeks and it is believed that modalities are been worked out to receive the bad product on the Liberian market.
This vessel which is reportedly said be under the chatter of the same group bringing the Russian Product is seeking to dump the high sulfur Diesel in the Liberian commerce.
LPRC is now challenged to keep up to its regulatory commitment to not accept any gasoil in the country contrary to the specs it published in its letter to importers on February 26, 2024.
Count C of the LPRC Regulation issued on February 26, 2024 clearly mandates that any gasoil above 500ppm imported will be rejected.
The docking of such vessel will violate the new LPRC requirements to be granted importation license specifically paragraph C which provides “All products delivered to LPRC tanks by the Importer shall confirm to the standards and specifications determined by the LPRC. The primary specification AGO (gas oil) MUST be 500 PPM or below. AGO brought in by the importer that is above 500 PPM will be rejected and returned”.
Investigation continues.
