Bangladesh Seizes VLGC Captain Nikolas Months After LPG Transfer Fire

The Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) Captain Nikolas has been arrested by port authorities in Bangladesh following a major fire incident and a series of legal actions.

The vessel, anchored at the outer anchorage of Chattogram Port since October 2024, was officially seized on 11 April 2025 after the High Court of Bangladesh issued two separate arrest orders.

The fire broke out during a ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) between Captain Nikolas and a smaller LPG carrier, B-LPG Sophia, near Kutubdia anchorage in the early hours of 13 October 2024.

While the fire on Captain Nikolas was brought under control by around 3:30 AM, the blaze on Sophia took nearly 12 hours to extinguish. The Bangladesh Coast Guard and Navy were involved in containing the situation.

The B-LPG Sophia, which was severely damaged in the blaze, is now listed as “dead/demolished” by Clarksons, a UK-based shipbroking firm.

The first admiralty case was filed by UAE-based company Atlantis Gas DMCC, owner of B-LPG Sophia.

Following a court hearing, a bench led by Justice Sarder Md Rashed Jahangir issued an arrest warrant against Captain Nikolas on 9 April 2025.

কুতুবদিয়া বহির্নোঙ্গরে এলপিজি ট্যাংকারে আগুন, নিয়ন্ত্রণে আসেনি এখনো
স্টার নিউজবাইটস
কুতুবদিয়া বহির্নোঙ্গরে আজ রোববার ভোররাতে একটি এলপিজি ট্যাংকারে অগ্নিকাণ্ডের ঘটনা ঘটেছে। গ্যাসভর্তি থাকায় ট্যাংকারের আগুন এখনো পুরোপুরি নিয়ন্ত্রণে আনা যায়নি। pic.twitter.com/dAYTPm1ZKk

— The Daily Star (@dailystarnews) October 13, 2024

Video Credits: The Daily Star/X

The very next day, another admiralty suit was filed by Xenon Energy DMCC, another UAE firm. A separate bench, led by Justice Md Zakir Hossain, issued a second arrest order on 10 April.

As per the Chattogram Port Authority’s Deputy Conservator, Faridul Alam, these legal proceedings led to the vessel’s seizure on 11 April. The ship had remained at the port since the fire, reportedly still carrying around 34,000 tonnes of LPG.

Jahurl Alam, director of Seacom, the local agent for Captain Nikolas, mentioned that the vessel could not leave port due to the inability to unload the cargo and delays in securing a Clearance Certificate (CC).

Instead of permitting its departure, a $14 million compensation claim was filed against the ship through court proceedings.

He also stated that the Iranian owner of the vessel has hired legal counsel to challenge the claims and attempt to get the ship released.

According to him, the owner is suffering major financial losses, with fixed daily costs of around $45,000.

Apart from this, the origin of the cargo onboard Captain Nikolas has also drawn scrutiny.

The LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB) alleged that the ship had misreported the source of its LPG cargo while attempting to offload about 70,000 tonnes at Chattogram Port, potentially breaching international sanctions.

Captain Nikolas was reportedly one of two tankers involved in this alleged misreporting.

According to shipping data, the Cook Islands-flagged Captain Nikolas (built in 1992) is owned by Folegandros Maritime, a single-ship company registered in Panama, and managed by Aspero Ship Management.

The management company is based in a serviced office in Sharjah Free Zone, UAE.

Aspero Ship Management has previously been named by United Against Nuclear Iran, a U.S.-based watchdog, for operating vessels that transport Iranian LPG in violation of sanctions. However, the company has denied such allegations.

The fire incident also brought attention to the vessel’s crew conditions. In June 2024, the crew of Captain Nikolas, which included 25 members (18 of them Ukrainian), was reported as abandoned in Sharjah by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The crew had not been paid for three months. ILO records confirm that by 1 October 2024, all dues had been cleared, and several crew members were repatriated.

Both Captain Nikolas and B-LPG Sophia have changed ownership and management several times in recent years, often sailing under different flags.

Reference: tbs news

Source: Maritime Shipping News