Indian team detects no pollution by detained oil tanker

An Indian team, which was rushed to Bandar Abbas port where an oil tanker has been detained by Iran for last nine days, has detected no pollution or oil leakage by the vessel, contrary to Iranian claims.
"Our officials including the surveyor from Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) have completed the inspection of the tanker and come up with a report that no pollution whatsoever or oil leakage was caused by it," a senior SCI official told PTI today.
Director General of Shipping has sent a team of officials, including a senior Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) official and a surveyor of IRS to Bandar Abbas port to inspect the vessel.

The IRS is an internationally recognised independent ship classification society, founded in India in 1975.
"Our officials are still in the process of convincing the Iranian authorities and we are hopeful of some solution and release of the vessel," the official said.
MT Desh Shanti, was detained by Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) on August 12 in Persian Gulf and taken to Bandar Abbas port while carrying crude from Basrah in Iraq.

The SCI official said ministries of External Affairs and Shipping were dealing with the issue.
The Iranian authorities had expressed environment concerns and alleged that the vessel was causing pollution, a charge which has been denied by Indian officials.

The Indian officials said there was no pollution from the comparatively new vessel with a capacity to carry 140,000 tonnes of crude.
Last week, The Iranian embassy here had said the detention was "purely a technical and non-political issue".
The tanker's detention comes at a time when India, the world's fourth-largest oil importer, has significantly reduced its import of crude oil from Iran following severe financial sanctions from the western countries against the Islamic republic.