Request by an Oil Consortium for the Seizure of the 'Alpine Eternity' Ship by the UAE

A representative of an oil consortium from the United Arab Emirates has requested that the 'Alpine Eternity', a Singapore-flagged oil products cargo ship, be seized due to damage caused to the 'foundations' of a gas platform in Phase 13 of South Pars. On May 14, the Revolutionary Guards fired warning shots at the 'Alpine Eternity', which belongs to 'Sut Maritime' and is managed by 'Trans Petrol'. According to Reuters, 'Sut Maritime' and 'Trans Petrol' stated in a joint statement on May 25 that the 'Alpine Eternity' collided with a marine structure on April 22, which was later determined to belong to Iran. The statement noted that negotiations have been ongoing between the consortium working at this marine facility and representatives of the ship's owner and the insurance company since the incident. 'Sut Maritime' and 'Trans Petrol' emphasized that it is unclear why Iran wants to seize the ship while negotiations regarding the incident are still underway. Meanwhile, Hossein Sharif Abadi, a representative of the Phase 13 South Pars consortium, stated on May 25 that the consortium requested the UAE government to seize the 'Alpine Eternity' owned by the Norwegian company Trans Petrol due to the collision and damage to the foundations of gas platform number 13. The representative further mentioned that after the April 22 incident, the vessel was transferred to a dock in the UAE for repairs, and it was discovered that it intended to leave the area, prompting the Phase 13 consortium to seek the vessel's seizure through the relevant authorities. He added that this gas platform has eight wells, drilling operations have been completed, and well equipment has been installed, and the collision caused damage to the main structure of the gas platform and the wells, potentially leading to gas leaks. Mr. Sharif Abadi also acknowledged that following negotiations with the Norwegian company's lawyer, it was agreed that the company would assess the damages and compensate for the losses. Previously, on April 28, the Revolutionary Guards seized a cargo ship named 'Maersk Tigris' sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, citing the owner's debt to Iranian companies as the reason for the seizure. Iran ultimately released the ship nine days later after obtaining a commitment from the ship's owner to 'execute final judicial rulings', but the temporary seizure of the Maersk vessel caused the U.S. fleet to accompany some American and British ships while passing through the Strait of Hormuz.