MBABANE:Eswatini does not own the vessel seized in Iran smuggling three hundred and fifty thousand(350,000) litres of fuel, Thulani Mkhaliphi, the Principal Secretary(PS) in the Kingdom’s Ministry of Public Works and Transport has clarified through a press statement released on Sunday afternoon.
But the statement comes amid international reports published earlier on Sunday suggesting that, an “Eswatini-flagged” vessel has been seized in Iran smuggling fuel.
Responding to these allegations, the PS first clarified that, eSwatini does not have an operational ship registry, nor has Government appointed, mandated, or authorized any individual, company or foreign agent to register vessels on behalf of the Kingdom.
The Principal Secretary said “the name of the country is being misused by criminals networks” operating across the international waters.
“Eswatini strongly condemns this conduct. We are committed to working closely with the International Maritine Organization(IMO) and other global enforcement bodies to eradicate the misuse of the Kingdom’s name by criminal networks operating across the international waters,” reads the statement in part.
Eswatini is a landlocked country with no access to the sea, the international reports suggesting ownership of a vessel have been vigorously rejected and denied by the Kingdom.
A boat with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard sails at undisclosed location off the coast of Bandar Abbas, Iran August 2019(internet pic).