The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has sold its first cargo from storage in the Turkish port of Ceyhan, where a tanker completed loading 1mn barrels of Kurdish oil, the first sale of oil shipped through the independent Kurdish pipeline. The Iraqi federal government has threatened to take legal action against what it considers the illicit sale of Iraqi oil. The ball is now in Baghdad’s court.
Tanker tracking data shows the United Leadership tanker had left the Turkish port after loading the crude from storage. The vessel was last reported heading for the Greek port of Pireaus on 23 May but it was not clear if that was its final destination. The charterer of the vessel is not known at this time. Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz was quoted by the Reuters news agency as confirming that the first Kurdish crude out of storage had been lifted and said the vessel was due to complete loading on 22 May. (CONTINUED - 564 WORDS)
