Nigeria LNG vessels blockaded in tax levy dispute

By SARAH KENT

LONDON -- Nigeria LNG tankers aren't being allowed to enter or depart from the Bonny Island Terminal on the coast of Nigeria, according to the company, following an escalation of a long-standing dispute with maritime authorities over taxes.

The LNG Company, a joint venture between Nigeria's state oil company, Shell, Total and Eni, is at loggerheads with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency over the payment of maritime taxes.

A spokesman for NIMASA confirmed that the agency was preventing the movement of Nigeria LNG vessels.

In a statement, the agency said it took action after Nigeria LNG failed to abide by a settlement the two sides had reached over the taxes. The company said it has paid NIMASA $20 million and has taken the dispute to court.

This is the second time this year the agency has prevented Nigeria LNG tankers from accessing the company's loading bay on Bonny Island, near Port Harcourt.