The Tripoli-based National Oil Corporation (NOC) is continuing efforts to stop the Tobruk/Baida administration from loading crude oil for export.
In a statement, the company said:
“Agoco, our subsidiary in the east, was instructed yesterday by a Beyda official to load a ship at Marsa el-Hariga.
“[NOC chairman Mustafa Sanalla] notified Prime Minister Serraj and the Presidency Council, who understood immediately the seriousness of the issue and took the necessary steps to stop the vessel from loading.”
“Agoco employees and port officials understood this was a political attempt to divide the country, and I am very proud that they resisted the pressure to load this vessel.
“This had the potential to be a very ugly incident and I am pleased that it has been resolved peacefully without injury to anybody or loss of revenue or damage to the integrity of NOC or the country.”
A document sent by Almabruk Sultan, appointed international marketing manager of NOC by the parallel administration, instructed Agoco to load the oil for DSA Consultancy FZC, a company registered in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The vessel in question, Distya Ameya, is Indian flagged.
According to Platts, current Libyan production is about 360,000 bpd, while Libya's largest crude export terminal, the 350,000-bpd Es Sider, and 200,000-bpd Ras Lanuf terminal remain under force majeure.
(Sources: NOC, Platts)
