A court today ordered the release of the tanker Santa Maria, which was impounded in Grand Harbour some days ago.

The tanker, owned by Falzon Group of Companies through its subsidiary S.L. Maria Navigation Ltd, had been impounded following an investigation into an alleged illegal transfer of fuel.

The owners last week filed a protest requesting the release of the ship saying that no evidence had been presented to implicate the ship.

Magistrate Edwina Grima ordered the release of the ship to its owners but said it could not be sold or transferred to a third party until the magisterial inquiry was concluded or criminal procedures against the owners were initiated by the police.

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