Don't trust official Nigerian welcome - it may be a trap: INTERTANKO

THE validity of a letter from state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corp (NNPC), interpreted as a lifting of the ban on 113 banned tankers, has been dismissed by industry association INTERTANKO.

"We continue to advise against trading to Nigeria any ship on the banned list," said the INTERTANKO statement. 

"The penalties for alleged contraventions of Nigerian law by these ships are draconian, including forfeiture of the ship and life imprisonment of the crew," the organisation warned.

It warned members at rise not to sail into Nigeria or into its exclusive economic zone, adding that all vessels in the company that owned the banned tanker shared the risk, reported London's Tanker Operator.

It further explained that the language contained in the letter was vague and that could not be relied on by owners to clear the vessels on the banned list for trade to Nigeria.