The Indian Coast Guard was forced to mount a rescue mission on Sunday, July 5, as three tankers detained by the Indian courts were being driven toward shore in a monsoon. The vessels, all linked to Iran, have been at the center of a controversy since they were detained in early February on charges of being part of a fuel smuggling operation.
The Directorate General of Shipping reported the situation to the Coast Guard as the tankers Asphalt Star, Stella Ruby, and Al Jafzia were dragging their anchors in the storm. The ships had been seized in early February, about 100 nautical miles to the west of Mumbai. India charged that they had been involved in illegal ship-to-ship transfers and were part of a ring stealing and transporting Iranian bitumen. The reports said the vessels had been switching off their AIS transmissions in an effort to evade detection.
The vessels, the Iranian-flagged Stellar Ruby (6191 dwt), the Asphalt Star (14,800 dwt), and the 45,000 dwt Al Jafzia, alternately known as the Chiltern, were placed under arrest. All three had been sanctioned by the United States. Media reports indicate the shipowners and eight individuals were named in court papers in February, with the case still under investigation.
Skeleton crews remained aboard the Stella Ruby and the Asphalt Star, but the Al Jafzia had been abandoned. The three ships are listed as awaiting breaking, but the court has not yet released the first two vessels. The investigation is ongoing in part, complicated by the Asphalt Star falsely claiming to be registered in Mali.
The Al Jafzia appears to have been the shadiest of the three vessels. It was claiming registry in Nicaragua, which was false. Since 2024, records show it had falsely claimed registry in Eswatini, Aruba, and Guyana before Nicaragua.
The Bombay High Court had agreed to repatriate some 50 seafarers from the three ships, stating that the shipowner had abandoned the crews. It also released the Al Jafzia to go to the breakers at Alang.
The Indian Coast Guard vessel Samrat was directed to the three tankers on Sunday to render assistance. Because the Al Jafzia was abandoned, there was little they could do, and the ship went aground. The Coast Guard, however, was able to intervene, and the Asphalt Star and Stella Ruby were secured in a new anchorage, and the crews were reported to be safe. The emergency towing vessel Water Lily was also used to help secure the two tankers.
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The Coast Guard positioned its specialized pollution control vessel ICGS Samudra Prahari in the area in case of any pollution. A survey was also underway of the grounded tanker.