Tranquilis Vessel Reviews and Specifications

In a decisive move, the Mumbai High Court has mandated the relocation of three detained tankers—the 'Stellar Ruby', 'Asphalt Star', and 'Chiltern', previously known as the 'Al Jafzia'—to the Alang ship recycling yard in Gujarat. This order follows their interception by the Indian Coast Guard off the coast of Mumbai on February 6. The vessel owners had petitioned the court for their release and to allow the ships to set sail while investigations are underway. However, on May 6, the court prioritized maritime safety, citing navigational risks posed by leaving the vessels anchored offshore for an extended duration. The Indian Coast Guard had apprehended the tankers roughly 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai in the Arabian Sea, accusing them of unauthorized ship-to-ship (STS) transfer operations involving Iranian bitumen and fuel. Reports indicated the vessels employed deceptive tactics, including disabling their location-tracking systems, to evade detection. During the May 6 court session, a representative from the Coast Guard and the Director General of Shipping highlighted that the same court had previously ordered the release of 50 seafarers trapped aboard the ships under dire conditions for almost three months. Allegedly, these crew members were surviving on a mere 300 ml of potable water per day, lacking electricity and other essential supplies. The owners of the vessels sought more time for crew replacement; however, this request was denied. The advocate argued that the absence of crew members on the vessels heightened maritime security risks and could disrupt vessel traffic. Given the potential length of the legal proceedings, he urged that relocating the vessels to Alang was the most prudent course of action. Consequently, the court rejected the owners' request for unrestricted navigation and directed the immediate transfer of the tankers to Alang, where they would remain under the jurisdiction of the authorities until the resolution of the ongoing case.

On February 6, 2026, the Indian Coast Guard executed a strategic operation that led to the capture of three tankers involved in an international oil-smuggling ring with ties to Iran. This operation featured both aerial and maritime tactics aimed at disrupting a network that has been utilizing mid-sea transfers in international waters to transport inexpensive oil from volatile regions while dodging customs dues owed to maritime nations. In a meticulous operation driven by advanced surveillance technology and data analysis, the Coast Guard intercepted the vessels—'Chiltern', 'Asphalt Star', and 'Stellar Ruby'—approximately 100 nautical miles off the coast of Mumbai. This coordinated effort was integral to dismantling a sophisticated international oil smuggling operation associated with Iranian oil supplies. Notably, 'Asphalt Star' engaged in a bunkering operation with 'Stellar Ruby' from February 7, 2026, at 03:48 AM UTC, until February 8 at 08:46 AM. Prior to being intercepted, these tankers had been registered with various Indian ports as their destinations, but they all modified their AIS signals to indicate Mumbai on February 8. Importantly, all three vessels were under OFAC sanctions. Subsequent in-depth inspections, electronic data analysis, and crew questioning unveiled critical insights into the smugglers' methods and their global support network. The vessels were reportedly known for frequently altering their identities and have since been escorted to Mumbai for further legal proceedings. A comprehensive investigation, involving the cross-verification of electronic data from the ships, as well as a review of the vessel and cargo documentation, allowed authorities to effectively understand the smuggling operation's complexities.