B-LPG SOPHIA

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Tanker, which was involved in fire which damaged B-LPG Sophia beyong repair, was arrested

The tanker 'Captain Nikolas' (IMO: 9008108)( was arrested at Chattogram on April 11, 2025, following an order from a Bangladesh court. The lawsuits leading to the arrest were filed due to the vessel's involvement in a fire at the port on Oct 16, 2024, at around 12:45 a.m., during an LPG transfer with the 'B-LPG Sophia'. While the fire on the 'Captain Nikolas' was extinguished by 3:30 a.m, the fire on the other ship continued to burn for another 12 hours, and the ship was found beyond repair and has been broken up in Chittagong since. The LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh alleged that the origin of the LPG cargo aboard the LPG tanker was unclear and that the records regarding its origin were falsified. The issue that the vessel possibly had violated sanctions was under investigation separately. The 'Captain Nikolas' was seized following the fire and remained stationary in Chattogram since due to legal disputes, still holding around 34,000 tons of cargo. The two separate court orders stem from the two admiralty suits filed against the vessel. One suit was filed by the Atlantis Gas DMCC, the owner of the 'B-LPG Sophia', which led to an arrest warrant being issued on April 9. The second admiralty suit was filed by theXenon Energy DMCC, a UAE-based company, which led to a warrant being issued against the same vessel on April 10. The vessel was finally seized on April 11, following two separate court orders for its arrest. The owner of the 'Captain Nikolas' has appointed counsel to contest the lawsuits and was trying to get the vessel released.

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Three fires on four ships within two weeks raising questions about firefighint capacity and sanctioned cargoes

After three fires involving four ships in two weeks, port stakeholders in Chittagong were having questions about local firefighting capacity, and whether it was making sense to import sanctioned energy cargoes aboard questionable vessels. A major fire broke out aboard the 'B LPG Sophia' and 'Captain Nikolas' during an allegedly illegal ship-to-ship transfer off Kutubdia, Chittagong. The 'Captain Nikolas' was offloading its cargo to the Bangladeshi lighterage vessel, when a fire broke out aboard both vessels. All 31 crewmembers survived, but the the lighter tanker was significantly damaged. The LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB) claimed that the origin of the cargo aboard the 'Captain Nikolas' was misdeclared, and that it actually came from Iran, a sanctioned supplier. The LOAB believed that customs officials were involved in this unlawful import arrangement, and that at least one additional vessel delivered a sanctioned Iranian LPG cargo. The 'Captain Nikolas' likely loaded a cargo of sanctioned Iranian LNG in the Persian Gulf with wo sister ships being engaged in the same trade. On Oct 15, Bangladesh's shipping ministry issued a circular urging importers to abide by the law on sanctioned vessels and cargoes, reminding companies that Bangladesh required maritime stakeholders to comply with U.S., UN and EU sanctions, and that violations expose Bangladesh to national security risks and reputational problems. The agency forbids any activities involving sanctioned cargo loading, unloading or transshipment in Bangladeshi waters. The incident with the two LPG tankers was the third major vessel fire near Chittagong within two weeks. A blaze broke out aboard the 'Banglar Shourabh' on Oct 4, killing one crew member, and a fire aboard the tanker 'Banglar Jyoti' killed three on Sep 30, prompting calls for more firefighting capabilities at Chittagong. The port has no dedicated firefighting vessels with the equipment to combat petroleum fires. Report with photo: https://maritime-executive.com/article/chittagong-vessel-fires-raise-questions-about-sanctions-and-safety