MSC Containership Detained in Malaysia for Anchoring Without Permission
Malaysia Maritime recently carried out an enforcement action that resulted in the detention of an MSC containership and the questioning of its captain and second engineer. The vessel was reported to have anchored without permission, leading to potential penalties including a fine of up to approximately $23,000, two years in prison, or both.
The incident unfolded on the morning of May 16 when the Area Control Centre identified a “suspicious vessel” and began monitoring its movements. By midday, the containership had come to a stop approximately 22.5 nautical miles southwest of Sekinchan, a town north of Kuala Lumpur in the Malacca Strait.
A maritime patrol boat was dispatched to investigate the situation and found the containership anchored in the area. Despite the vessel’s name being obscured in official reports, it bore MSC markings and is believed to be the MSC Olia, a 48,186 dwt vessel registered in Liberia. The ship, with a capacity of 3,760 TEU, was en route from Jakarta to Singapore at the time of the incident.
Upon boarding the containership, Malaysia Maritime officials discovered 23 crew members from various countries, all of whom had valid identification documents. However, the captain, a 44-year-old Russian national, failed to provide anchoring permission documents, leading to further investigation and questioning at the Selangor State Maritime headquarters.
Malaysia and neighboring countries in the region are known for their strict enforcement policies, particularly regarding unauthorized vessel activities. The Malacca and Singapore Straits have been hotspots for illegal activities such as ship-to-ship oil transfers and maritime robberies. In 2022, allegations of soliciting payments from detained vessels in Indonesia raised concerns, although officials denied any wrongdoing.
While Malaysia Maritime has not disclosed further details about the incident, the AIS signal for the vessel indicates that it is currently docked in Port Klang.