The LPG tanker Captain Nikolas was arrested at the Port of Chattogram on 11 April following a court order from Bangladesh due to a fire incident that occurred at the port in 2024.
The fire occurred in October 2024 when Captain Nikolas was transferring LPG with another vessel, B-LPG Sophia. The fire affected both ships and while the blaze on Captain Nikolas was extinguished, the fire aboard the Sophia continued for hours despite firefighting efforts.
Two admiralty suits were filed against the vessel. One, by Atlantis Gas DMCC (owner of B-LPG Sophia), led to an arrest warrant on 9 April. The second suit, filed by Xenon Energy DMCC, a UAE-based company, resulted in another arrest warrant on 10 April. As a result, the ship was seized on April 11.
The LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh had raised concerns about the origin of the LPG cargo on Captain Nikolas, alleging that records regarding its source were falsified. The possibility that the vessel violated sanctions is also being investigated.
Since the incident, Captain Nikolas has been stuck at Chattogram port due to legal issues, still carrying around 34,000 tons of cargo.
