Pirate vessel «Castor» fined and deflagged

The vessel has also been excluded from the country’s vessels register.

Last August the Norwegian Coast Guard documented that the Russian registered fishing vessel «Aleksey Afanasjev» transferred 350 metric tonnes of cod to the cargo vessel «Castor». The two vessels were both concealing their identities during the operation.

Russian authorities were notified that «Castor» was heading for Russian zone. The Russian border patrols did not succeed in overtaking the vessel, which in return was overtaken by the Norwegian Coast Guard upon its return to Norwegian zone. «Castor» has since been docked in Murmansk without flag.

The shipowners have now been fined 50 000 USD by Belieze authorities, while the vessel herself has been excluded from the country’s register for vessels. The reaction is based on:

• Illegal transhipment
• Illegal use of Russian flag
• Concealing vessel identification

– This case is an example of good following up from the flag state. We have provided the information inquired by Belieze authorities, and they responded exactly like any flag state should do, says adviser Gunnstein Bakke on behalf of the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries.