Cargo ship faces fine for sailing between Stanley and Mar del Plata with no Argentine permit

Cargo ship faces fine for sailing between Stanley and Mar del Plata with no Argentine permit

Authorities in the port of Mar del Plata have started administrative proceedings against the Panama-flagged Frio Marathon frozen cargo ship stemming from Stanley in the Falkland/Malvinas Islands without an Argentine permit. The vessel had been sailing the archipelago since 2014 and could now face a high fine, it was explained.

The Frio Marathon was boarded by Coast Guard (Prefectura Naval Argentina – PNA) officers Tuesday for having operated in the Falkland/Malvinas Islands without Argentine authorization, thus violating national regulations.

A PNA statement highlighted “the constant effort of this Maritime Authority to enforce the current regulations and exercise the sovereignty of our Islands.” The PNA also said the ship was free of cargo upon arriving in Mar del Plata “from Puerto Argentino” and insisted it had been operating there “intermittently since 2014.”

The PNA also said that since Decree 256/2010 came into force 683 vessels had been investigated and 371 of them were fined, while over 1,200 permits were granted to foreign flag vessels to call at ports in the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, South Georgia, and South Sandwich Islands.

Thus, 37 flags, including those under registers administered by the United Kingdom, indirectly recognized Argentina’s sovereignty, PNA argued.

Since 2010 and as per Argentine legislation, all vessels intending to transit between ports located in the Argentine mainland and ports located in the Falkland/Malvinas, South Georgia, and South Sandwich Islands, or cross Argentine jurisdictional waters towards the latter and/or load goods to be transported directly or indirectly between those ports, must request authorization through the PNA for the Argentine state to authorize the operation. (Source: Ambito)