Chinese arms ship may lack enough fuel to reach Angola

HERALD CORRESPONDENT

THE Chinese ship carrying arms for Zimbabwe appears to be headed for Angola, but it may not have enough fuel aboard to reach its destination.

The An Yue Jiang lifted anchor and set sail from Durban on Friday as the sheriff of Durban approached the vessel.

The ship did not bunker in Durban.

Yesterday, the Justice Alliance of South Africa (Jasa) said should the ship re-enter South African waters, she should be arrested by the navy. It was unlikely the An Yue Jiang would have enough fuel to reach Angola without bunkering in another port en route.

Barely an hour before she set sail, the Durban High Court ordered that the ship enter Durban‘s harbour and offload the armaments which had to be held in secure storage by the sheriff of Durban.

Jasa urged the port authorities in East London, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town to be on their guard lest the ship tries to obtain fuel surreptitiously.

Jasa said when the case returns to the Durban High Court on Friday, the judge must take judicial notice of the brutal military campaign of repression in Zimbabwe.

“Should the ship re-enter SA territorial waters, she should be arrested by the SA Navy and escorted into harbour. The arms must then be put in bond until assurances are obtained from the Chinese government that they will be returned to China. Any promise from the shipowner is insufficient as it becomes unenforceable the moment the ship leaves SA territorial waters.

“The captain may say he is going home and yet immediately sail for Angola once he has fuel in his bunkers.” – Sapa