According to the Greek news portal Protothema, the Andromeda, flying the flag of Tanzania, was spotted by the Greek authorities off the island of Crete last weekend and following a check of its cargo on Wednesday, it was discovered to be carrying 29 containers of explosives and detonators to Libya, which is currently under arms embargo. The Merchant Marine Ministry says the Andromeda was stopped off the southern Greek island of Crete over the weekend following a tip and escorted to a Cretan port for an inspection. Freighter Arrested for Smuggling Explosives

By The Maritime Executive 2018-01-10 15:53:33

The Hellenic Coast Guard has seized the cargo ship Andromeda after finding 29 containers of ammonium nitrate and detonators on board, along with 11 empty LPG tanks. “The coast guard neutralized a moving time bomb that could have had unpredictable consequences both for people and for the marine environment,” rear admiral Yiannis Argyriou, who heads the coast guard’s security and policing department, told reporters. He said the material could be used “for all sorts of work, from work in quarries to making bombs and acts of terrorism.”

European Union and United Nations-imposed arms embargoes have prohibited the sale, supply or transfer of arms to Libya since 2011. The ship’s cargo was seized and the ship was led to Heraklion port, outside the island’s capital, where a preliminary review proved 102 serious violations of the safety code endangering the lives of the ship’s crew. But the Greek coastguard said a preliminary investigation found the captain had been ordered by the vessel’s owner to sail to the Libyan city of Misrata to unload and deliver the entire cargo. Following instructions from the deportment of merchant shipping, she said, the CPA allowed the vessel to enter Larnaca port’s anchorage on December 4 for the sick crew member to disembark and two days later they also allowed the ship to stop at Limassol port’s anchorage to pick up the crew member and to refuel. The eight-member crew was arrested and the ship and its cargo were confiscated by the Greek authorities and are currently at the port of Heraklion, Crete.
The Hellenic Coast Guard seizes the Tanzanian-flagged cargo ship Andromeda – allegedly bound for Libya, loaded with 410 tonnes of explosives – in Heraklion, Greece. 102 safety deficiencies are found, and 8 crew members are arrested.