Atlantic Cruiser: no arms, tip was phony

After several days of inspections, Turkish authorities have informed government officials in Berlin that the German freight ship Atlantic Cruiser, is not carrying weapons bound for Syria after all. The ship's cargo is legal, and its loading papers have been correctly presented, officials say.

[April 19]According to the manifesto, with explosives for civil use has some equipment for thermal power plant project. 

Iskenderun Customs Directorate of ship load list (manifesto) offered. According to this list on the ship, brought to the importing company in Turkey, six 313 tons of explosives to be used for civilian purposes.   "As of this morning for being late to the load control officials came to the hatch covers were opened and began investigations.. We shall see the result of the coming days.''

 At the time the captain conducted the ship's transit through the Suez Canal and later at a planned fuel-tanking stop in Cyprus, he claimed he had been transporting cargo with the hazardous goods classes "UN 0105, 0030, 0029 and 0065," abbreviations for explosives and electrical equipment including detonators. After the contents of the cargo were revealed, a Cypriot firm refused to provide fuel for the ship. The ship was not allowed to enter into Cyprus "because of the embargo on munitions being sent to Syria."    The Ukrainian firm chartering the ship claims it contains "dangerous cargo," including munitions. However, the company claims they are intended for Turkey and Montenegro and not Syria.   The ship waited for a full day and a half off the coast of Syria before heading in the direction of Turkey under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda Spiegel

[April 18]Turkish special police officers of the customs narcotic and smuggling department board the ship Atlantic Cruiser, sailing under the colours of Antigua and Barbuda, in the port of Iskenderun, April 18, 2012.    Earlier, In he harbor. Iskenderun Customs Enforcement Directorate teams, marine police, ship agency officials and a delegation of lawyers, journalists, some agencies with two separate boat reached the ship. the committee, the first naval vessel out of the health team, has made ​​health checks. Then the other members and journalists were aboard. Officials engaged in conversation with the captain of the ship and cargo control documents, investigations found. Meanwhile, journalists, waited in the dining hall. The team's front control of the ship, and among them are four different load explosives and ammunition were found there. The officials, pointing to the ship carries dangerous goods according to the rules of maritime 'red flag' pulled. A description of the amount and type of explosives-munitions were made. Review the delegation, ship officials talks journalists were not allowed to shoot photos and video. Customs Enforcement officials after the completion of investigations of the vessel in Iskenderun Port yanaştırılıp, said there would be a detailed examination.

Alexander Varvarenko,

Werner Bockstiegel 

[April 16]Bockstiegel acknowledged that “the crew only has access to the container stacked at the top  This was being inspected and appeared to consist of wires and cables
Containers were loaded on the ship in Mumbai, India and it was destined for Syria, Turkey and Montenegro. Five containers were off-loaded at Djibouti
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According to the shipping firm’s documents, the equipment bound for Syria consisted of parts for a thermal power station.






Reader conmment: What do you think the transponder of the ship was turned off for three days? "Construction products for Syria" LOL! In midst of a huge destruction event?




Atlantic Cruiser allegedly picked up heavy military equipment and munitions meant for Syrian dictator Bashar Assad's regime from an Iranian freighter at the Djibouti port. But defectors from inside the Syrian government had learned of the delivery and warned the shipping company. On April 13 the Atlantic Cruiser suddenly changed course, heading for the Turkish harbor of Iskenderun instead. Then the ship stopped some 80 kilometers (50 miles) southwest of Tartus, sailing in circles for the next few hours. The ship had been chartered by an Odessa, Ukraine-based company called White Whale Shipping via shipping agent Hamburg-based C.E.G. Bulk Chartering. The government established contact with C.E.G. and W. Bockstiegel Reederei, the German shipping company that owns the Atlantic Cruiser. "According to information from the shipping company, there is no intention of continuing on to Syria," However, it appears the captain was instead prompted to turn off the ship's transponder so that the Atlantic Cruiser's location could no longer be traced. For 24 hours, the ship could no longer be tracked as it traveled on the high seas. It will also be difficult to determine what happened on the ship during that time. The same applies toApril 15 night, when the transponder was yet again turned off. What has been happening on the ship since then? The shipping company has said off the record that it is normal for the transponder to shut down as soon as the freighter ship stops moving. But ship brokers claim the move is extremely unusual. Experts said that even when a freight ship is at port or in open seas, the transponder is usually in operation, making it possible to track the vessel's whereabouts. Because the ship is registered in Antigua and Barbuda and is flying the country's flag, the German government is limited in terms of what it can do to investigate. here