Navy to seize foreign ships serving Chevron oil rig
Tuesday, February 1 2011 - 02:30 AM WIB
The ships are working in West Seno in the Makassar Strait off East Kalimantan.
Navy spokesman First Adm. Tri Prasodjo said his office would study the case first, before sending naval vessels to take action against the Singaporean ships.
?If they are illegal, then the Navy will take action. We have the authority to enforce the law at sea. Rest assured, we will not remain quiet,? Tri said.
The Transportation Ministry has declared the two Singapore-owned barges serving the Chevron-owned oil rig illegal.
There are currently 11 ships serving a number of large oil companies operating in Indonesia that are reportedly illegal, including the two barges. On Oct. 11, 2010, Balikpapan port officials said 11 foreign vessels had used fake permits in order to operate in Indonesia.
The ships? documents included the forged signatures of high-ranking Transportation Ministry officials. Officials and business leaders said nine of the 11 vessels left Indonesian waters in November after the Transportation Ministry ordered them to do so.
However, due to the remote location of West Seno ? approximately 40 hours from Balikpapan ? the two Singaporean barges continued to operate for Chevron beyond the government?s attention.
Transportation Ministry officials said they did not have the resources to take action against the two ships.
?We have the resources to check their location,? Tri said about the Indonesian Navy.
Chevron said earlier that the two barges did not belonged to the company, stressing that the permit issue was not their responsibility.
?The contractor holds full responsibility, not Chevron. We are now coordinating with the operator, BPMigas, Balikpapan port authorities and the Transportation Ministry to solve the permit issue,? Chevron spokeswoman Santi Manuhutu said last week.
However, Transportation Ministry director of sea traffic and transportation Leon Muhamad dismissed Chevron?s statement, saying his office would not issue permits to the two foreign ships until they stopped operation and exited the country?s waters.
Chevron is the largest oil producer in Indonesia, providing 40 percent of the country?s crude oil production. The company received a letter from the Transportation Ministry dated Dec. 18 stating that the Workover Barge FF-1 and Workover Barge SS-1 were operating illegally at Chevron?s oil rigs and should be cleared from Indonesian waters.
Meanwhile, National Police headquarters said it was investigating the case.
The police said foreign vessels that operate in Indonesia use subsidized fuel paid for by taxpayer money, thereby causing losses to the state.
The ship?s owners have violated maritime law, the Criminal Code, tax law and immigration law, they said. (*)