MT New Diamond owners agree to settle claim in full

by Zulfick Farzan 26-09-2020 | 2:03 PM

Colombo (News 1st); The Owners and Salvors of the distressed Crude Oil Tanker, the MT New Diamond, informed Attorney General Dappula De Livera of their agreement to immediately settle in full the claim of Rs. 442 Million, said State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne, the Coordinating Officer to the Attorney General.

Attorney General Dappula De Livera on Thursday (24) submitted a further claim of Rs. 100 Million, in addition to the September 16th claim of Rs. 340 Million, totaling Rs. 400 Million, against the owners of MT New Diamond.

The Sri Lankan stakeholders to the claim include Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Coast Guard, Marine Environmental Protection Agency (MEPA) and Colombo Dockyard PLC.

“The Attorney General has instructed the ‘MT New Diamond’ to be towed beyond 200 nautical miles (beyond the Island’s Exclusive Economic Zone) under Sri Lanka Navy escort, after all local proceedings are completed,” said Nishara Jayaratne

The Colombo Magistrates Court last week issued notice on the Captain of the MT New Diamond Captain Sterio Ilias to appear in court on Monday (28 September).

New Shipping Limited, the commercial owner of New Diamond in Athens, Greece, appointed SMIT Singapore Pte Ltd, an international Singapore-based company, as its salvage expert while Greece-based Porto Emporios Shipping Inc is the registered owner of the vessel.

The MT New Diamond crude oil tanker was transporting 270,000 metric tons of crude oil from the port of Meena Al Ahmadi in Kuwait to the Port of Paradip in India when a fire broke out aboard in the eastern seas of Sri Lanka on 03rd September 2020 at around 0800 hrs.

The ship was sailing 38 nautical miles off Sangamankanda Point when it caught fire with an explosion in a boiler in the ship’s main engine room.

The distressed oil tanker in eastern seas was manned by 23 crew members including 5 Greeks and 18 Philippine nationals.

It was also reported that 1700 metric tons of diesel required for the use of the tanker is also stored onboard.

MT New Diamond is a 20-year old crude oil tanker that is 333 meters long and 60 meters wide, and sailed with a Japanese certificate and is registered in Panama.