A ship that left Valletta en route to Tripoli was stopped by a Nato vessel after suspicions were raised over its cargo, the British Defence Ministry confirmed yesterday.
A cargo of vehicles on board the Setubal Express aroused suspicion that they could be used by pro-Gaddafi factions, a spokesman for the ministry told The Sunday Times.
The Malta-registered ship was intercepted by HMS Liverpool, which is operating in the Mediterranean to support UN resolutions off Libya.
“The ship used its highly trained boarding team to board the roll-on, roll-off ferry Setubal Express, which was sailing from Valletta toward Tripoli, Libya.
“The team boarded the ship and discovered during the search that the cargo record book contained irregularities. As a result, the Task Force commander instructed the ship not to enter Libyan territorial waters, but to redirect to the next port of call in Salerno, Italy.”
No details were given about the kind of “irregularities” found on board the ship, owned by the Malta Motorways of the Sea.
The Royal Navy destroyer has played a key role in Operation Unified Protector as a member of the Nato Task Group, controlling allied aircraft from the sea using its air surveillance technology.
Tasked with enforcing embargo operations along the Libyan coast, HMS Liverpool has intercepted several vessels under UN Security Council Resolution 1973.
United Nations Sanctions Committee’s guidance is to be sought following the redirection by NATO forces of the M/V Setubal Express on route to Tripoli from Valletta.
In a statement last night, the Maltese government gave a sequence to the events, which led to the Nato action.
It said clearance was given for the Setubal Express to sail to Tripoli carrying cargo, which included motor vehicles, clothing, furniture, spare parts, cement, foodstuffs and raw materials, following compliance with all necessary procedures.
After the vessel was inspected by the British forces, the ship operator contacted the maritime command in Naples to enquire why the vessel was denied permission to proceed with its voyage to Tripoli.
However, he was instructed to address the matter to the competent Italian authorities, who would, if they wished, pass it on to the Security Council Sanctions Committee on Libya via the Permanent Mission of Italy to the UN.
The matter was brought to attention of the Maltese authorities last Friday, which immediately informed the Sanctions Monitoring Board.
The Permanent Representative to the UN was requested to liaise with his Italian counterpart and possibly with the appropriate UN entity to obtain an explanation as to why the vessel was denied permission to proceed with its voyage.
The Setubal Express was last night located 17 nautical miles southwest of Malta awaiting orders.
In the meantime, the government said the Maltese authorities would be submitting a detailed communication to the UN Sanctions Committee informing it of the case and asking for its urgent direction on the matter and will abide fully by the UN Sanctions Committee’s guidance.
On March 23, the Maltese government intervened to stop a Libya-bound Malta-flagged vessel laden with fuel ordered by the Gaddafi regime.
The MV Breeze was stopped by the Maltese authorities enroute to the Libyan port town of Zawiyah.