Tanzanian Tanker Still Missing

Mozambique Information Agency | September 24, 2003 | Unattributed

[LurkedLongEnough]

The Tanzanian tanker, "M. T. Beacon", that disappeared from the northern Mozambican port of Nacala about a month ago, carrying 882,020 tonnes of fuel, is yet to return, reports Tuesday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias".

The fuel, worth about 345,000 US dollars, was to be delivered to Quelimane, the capital of Zambezia province, to supply the central region of the country, and there must now be fears that it has been stolen.

The vessel, hired by the Mozambican company ADECNEL from the Tanzanian firm M.C.J. Shipping, left the port without authorisation, during the night, after it was discovered that its international operating license had expired.

The crew seemed to have made a dash for Tanzania. The ship was last heard of in the southern Tanzanian port of Mtwara, where the crew supposedly dealt with the renewal of its operating licence. But it left Mtwara last week and has not appeared yet in any Mozambican port.

ADECNEL general director Alex Shauli said that the transport sector in Zambezia has been going through a serious shortage of fuel, which causes economic difficulties, all due to the failure of the tanker to carry the fuel to Quelimane.

However, the Mozambican oil distribution company Petromoc denies that there is any shortage of fuel in Zambezia, saying that the fuel is being supplied through tanker trucks from the ports of Beira and Nacala.

Shauli said that his company is taking legal steps to demand between 100,000 and 150,000 US dollars in compensation from M.C.J. Shipping for losses incurred during the unauthorised absence of the vessel.

[LurkedLongEnough]

Link: http://www.ds-osac.org/view.cfm?key=7E455742415D&type=2B170C1E0A3A0F162820

[SolidSupplySide]

The Tanzanian tanker, "M. T. Beacon", that disappeared from the northern Mozambican port of Nacala about a month ago, carrying 882,020 tonnes of fuel, is yet to return, reports Tuesday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias".

The fuel, worth about 345,000 US dollars, was to be delivered to Quelimane, the capital of Zambezia province, to supply the central region of the country, and there must now be fears that it has been stolen.

What fuel costs less than 50 cents per ton?

[So Cal Rocket]

882,020 tonnes of fuel
worth about 345,000 US dollars

= $0.39/ton

The credibility of this story ended here for me.

[LurkedLongEnough]

You're right. The ship, if it exists, is probably full of hot air. A highjacked empty ship opens all sorts of possibilities, though.

FYI: A British "tonne" weighs slightly more than an American "ton". Type each word into google web search for specifics.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Depends on the type of fuel. A metric ton of diesel would be 312 US gallons. Black oil, like Number 6 fuel oil, would be 271 US gallons to the metric ton.