The arrest of the vessel, which was anchored outside Malaysia's territorial waters and was awaiting a new order, took place on Sunday, according to the news portal. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency reportedly accused the tanker of anchoring in the country's exclusive economic zone without the necessary permission.
"There is already additional information: Primorye's crew consists of 21 Russians. These are 19 men and two women. The tanker was anchored among many merchant ships also waiting for new transport orders. According to the Malaysian side, the rest of the vessels had Malaysia's permission to anchor in this area," Mikhail Voytenko, Maritime Bulletin editor-in-chief and an expert on global maritime transport, said.
According to Voytenko, the Malaysian authorities often arrest and fine ships anchoring outside the country's territorial waters but within its exclusive economic zone. Malaysia insists that all vessels staying in this area of the Singapore Strait in the South China Sea apply for permission to anchor.