Working Conditions Aboard the Stellar-Ruby

On July 5, a significant maritime rescue and salvage operation took place off the northern coast of Mumbai due to extreme monsoon conditions. The incident involved three detained tankers: 'Asphalt Star', 'Stellar Rub', and 'Al Jafzia', all of which are connected to an international Iranian oil-smuggling operation. The 'Al Jafzia' unfortunately ran aground, while the other two tankers drifted away from their moorings due to strong winds and adverse weather, necessitating immediate intervention from the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). The Directorate General of Shipping issued an urgent alert to the ICG regarding the three vessels whose anchors were dragged from their designated locations, threatening their safety as they drifted dangerously close to the Manori coast. Upon receiving this critical alert, the ICG swiftly mobilized regional assets to evaluate and secure the drifting vessels. The ICGS 'Samrat', an advanced offshore patrol vessel, was redirected to the area to assess the situation, establish visual contact, and offer essential maritime assistance. In response to the ICG's request, the Directorate General of Shipping dispatched the emergency tug 'Water Lily' to provide towing and salvage support. Additionally, the pollution control vessel ICGS 'Samudra Prahari' was deployed to address potential environmental hazards or operational emergencies. Meanwhile, the 'Asphalt Star' and 'Stellar Rub' were successfully re-anchored and stabilized, with reports confirming that all crew members aboard were safe. Conversely, the 'Al Jafzia' was left uncrewed and found grounded with its broadside against the beach. This vessel had been vacated following a directive from the Bombay High Court, which mandated the repatriation of approximately 50 stranded seafarers abandoned by the vessel's overseas operators due to severe humanitarian concerns. The ICG's assets and emergency towing teams remain on high alert in the region, diligently monitoring the structural integrity of the tankers to avert any further environmental disasters or navigational obstructions in Mumbai's coastal waterways.

In a pivotal ruling, the Mumbai High Court has mandated the relocation of three detained tankers, the 'Stellar Ruby', 'Asphalt Star', and 'Chiltern' (previously known as 'Al Jafzia'), to the Alang ship recycling facility in Gujarat. This decision, announced on May 6, comes after the vessels were intercepted off the Mumbai Coast on February 6. Their owners had sought the release of the ships and permission for them to set sail while ongoing investigations took place. However, the court's ruling was influenced by significant maritime safety concerns and navigational risks associated with keeping the vessels anchored for an extended period. The Indian Coast Guard detained these tankers approximately 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai in the Arabian Sea, alleging that they were involved in unauthorized ship-to-ship (STS) transfer operations involving Iranian bitumen and fuel. Authorities indicated that the vessels were using deceptive tactics, such as disabling their location-tracking systems, to facilitate these operations. During the court session, an advocate representing the Coast Guard informed the justices that a separate bench had ordered the release of 50 stranded seafarers on May 5. These crew members had reportedly endured severe living conditions aboard the tankers for nearly three months, with access to only 300 ml of potable water per day, no electricity, and a lack of essential supplies. The ship owners had requested additional time to replace the crew, but this plea was denied by the court. The advocate further emphasized that the absence of crew members on the vessels posed significant risks to maritime security and traffic safety. He urged the court to facilitate the transfer of the ships to Alang's recycling yard, suggesting that the legal proceedings could prolong the vessels’ status at sea. Ultimately, the court declined the ship owners' request to allow their vessels to operate freely and instead ordered their transfer to Alang, where they will remain under legal custody until the resolution of the case.

On February 6, 2026, the Indian Coast Guard successfully dismantled an elaborate international oil-smuggling operation in a well-coordinated sea and air mission. This criminal syndicate utilized mid-sea oil transfers in international waters to transport inexpensive oil from conflict zones to tankers, sidestepping duties owed to coastal authorities. Leveraging advanced surveillance technology and data pattern analysis, the Coast Guard intercepted three suspicious vessels approximately 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai. This operation was part of a larger initiative aimed at disrupting an international oil-smuggling network connected to Iranian petroleum exports. The vessels involved—identified as 'Chiltern', 'Asphalt Star', and 'Stellar Ruby'—were all flagged under Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions. The 'Asphalt Star' engaged in a bunkering operation with the 'Stellar Ruby', which commenced on February 7, 2026, at 03:48 a.m. UTC and continued until 08:46 a.m. on February 8. Before the operation commenced, the three tankers had declared various Indian ports as their intended destinations but later altered their AIS (Automatic Identification System) routes to Mumbai on February 8. Intense investigation efforts, including thorough inspections and electronic data analysis, alongside interrogations of the crew, unveiled the intricate workings of the smugglers and their global network. Notably, these vessels had a history of frequently changing identities. Following the operation, the vessels were escorted to Mumbai for further legal proceedings, while authorities continue to piece together the full scope of the smuggling operation.

The plight of 19 crew members aboard the abandoned tanker 'Global Peace' has drawn the attention of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). The stranded crew, comprising 17 Indian nationals, one Bangladeshi, and one Ukrainian, have been left at the vessel’s anchorage off Al Hamriyah (position 25° 30' N 055° 24' E) since around February. Some have now been onboard for as long as 15 months, significantly surpassing the 11-month limit established by the Maritime Labour Convention. The tanker 'Global Peace' has been under sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury since April 2025. These measures target UAE-based companies Prime Tankers and Glory International amidst U.S. efforts to curtail the Iranian oil trade. Jugwinder Singh Brar, an Indian national linked to multiple shipping enterprises that form part of Iran’s shadow fleet, is identified as the vessel's owner. His shipping operations involving nearly 30 ships are reported to engage in illegal activities including ship-to-ship transfers and the blending of oil products for illicit sales that fuel Iran’s economy. Acquired in 2021, the 'Global Peace' was last registered under the Cook Islands flag, but currently lacks a recognized flag or insurance. The ITF has documented the situation and added the tanker to the joint abandonment database maintained by the International Maritime Organization and International Labour Organization. Alarmingly, the crew's rights to repatriation have been disregarded, with their contracts misrepresented as 'fictitious ITF collective bargaining agreements.' The ITF is pressing UAE authorities and relevant entities to take urgent action to resolve this crisis.

The GP B3 tanker was detained at Pipavav port on September 9, 2020, by the National Bank of Fujairah due to outstanding mortgage payments. A Gujarat court approved a request from the vessel's manager, Celestial Ship Management, to arrest the ship for unpaid invoices the following day, September 10. Celestial Ship Management, headquartered in Singapore, has managed five of GP Global's bunker vessels since March 2019. On September 8, they filed a claim against both the tanker and the ship owning entity, GP B3 Shipping, citing that the latter had defaulted on monthly payments amounting to over $587,000, accumulated since April 2019, along with $1,400 in interest, as per court documents. In July 2020, GP Global announced plans to restructure but refuted rumors of financial distress after failing to secure comprehensive support from its lenders. As of September 18, the GP B3 remained anchored at coordinates 20° 53.87' N 071° 33.44' E.