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| A satellite image showing the Captoon 2 at Baniyas, Syria, Jan 21, 2021 (Source: Planet Labs Inc |
The LPG then turned off its automatic identification system (AIS) and sailed without radio signals for more than a week - appearing 10 days later in Cyprus. The same thing happened with two other tanks. One of them is named Katara, which sailed from the Turkish port of Dortiol on January 20, near Cyprus, while heading to Beirut, as The Fuse published recently and some Albanian media that are based on this source.
And earlier this month, Happy, left Aspropyrgos in Greece in the direction of the indictee, and appeared on February 10 in the same area outside Cyprus, four days later.
At first glance, the trajectory lines of the AIS indicated clearly that the current destination was Syria. This was further confirmed after the data obtained by Captoon 2 and Katara. Both ships were part of the blacklist of the United States, under the accusation of supplying oil to the Syrian government in recent years.
These are the latest tankers to be found in Syrian waters since December, following a previous investigation that revealed first that another US-listed ship - Melody - had arrived at the port of Baniyas in northwestern Syria after departing from Porto Romano.
Using satellite imagery from Planet Labs Inc., TankerTrackers.com confirmed that Captoon 2, Katara and Happy landed in Baniyas during the period when they had turned off the Automatic Identification System.
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| The past tracks of the Captoon 2 (also known as Gitta Gas), Dec 1, 2020-Feb 10, 2021 (Source: MarineTraffic |
AIS data analysis, MarineTraffic vessel tracking data, and satellite imagery have created an overview of how some LPG (liquefied natural gas) vessels have managed to circumvent US and EU sanctions on fuel supply in Syria.
Captoon 2 and Katara
When Captoon 2 and Qatar were heading towards Lebanon as their final destination in January, this caused no concern as Lebanon is an importer of gas, which is essential for winter heating and cooking.
But their future moves raised doubts. The deactivation of AIS, in an area frequented by other vessels with a history of anchoring in the Syrian port of Baniyas, was a sign that they were following the same route as other vessels connected to the port of Baniyas.
There are at least six private gas import terminals located along the Lebanese coastline. At least nine small vessels are located there and as of February 21, and imports amount to a total of about 41,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas to date.
However, Captoon 2 and Qatar were not part of the LPG vessels that called Lebanon last month.