The fuel tanker, NORD JOY, was arrested in May on the alleged charges of illegally anchoring in Indonesian waters without a permit. An Indonesian court in Batam pronounced the decision, releasing the vessel with a $13,350 fine and placing the ship’s captain in jail for 15 days. However, two people involved in the investigation reported to Reuters that the Indonesian Navy had asked for an unofficial payment of $375,000 to avoid a protracted battle in court.

The NORD JOY, an oil products tanker registered in Panama, was arrested on May 30th while being anchored east of the Singapore Strait, one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. The shipping company has stated that they and the captain believed they were anchored in international waters. 4 days after the anchoring, they were boarded by the Indonesian Navy on the grounds of being anchored in Indonesian waters. The vessel was taken to Batam Naval base for further investigation.

A report by Reuters in June revealed that the Indonesian Navy was asking for unofficial payments for the release of the vessel, which attracted much attention from the international community. Both the Indonesian Navy and the Synergy Group, manager of the NORD JOY, deny any such request being made. The ship’s captain and the evidence regarding this case were handed over to the Batam court on June 17th, with the process being expedited and the judgment being pronounced on July 7th.

The July 9th, 2022 report and an earlier report of Reuters from 2021, along with Lloyd’s list report from November 2021, have accused Indonesian Navy officers of placing ships under detention and asking for unofficial payments to avoid a lengthy court process.

Source: https://www.fleetmon.com/maritime-news/2022/38973/ship-captain-jailed-indonesia-over-alleged-illegal/