Icelandic authorities are being very disingenuous with the Bandero

Icelandic authorities are being very disingenuous with the Bandero

They Need to Keep it, Sink it or Leave it, But They Need to Make Up Their Mind.

This article claims that we have refused to respond to the Icelandic Transport Authority so that the detention of the ship can be lifted.

We’re not sure why they are saying this because we have an Icelandic lawyer that has responded to every request. Our ship’ manager has provided all the requested information.

All certifications for the ship are in order. All ship certifications were provided by Panama in Brazil in May 2026 prior to sailing. The same certifications were inspected in Ireland in June before departure for Iceland from Dublin. Icelandic authorities have access to all the ship’s papers. They claim we did not have a nautical chart for approaches to Reykjavik nor a harbor chart for Reykjavik. Duh, it was not our intention to go to Reykjavik. The Icelandic Coast Guard took the ship against our will to Reykjavik.
When the AIS system was shut off, the Bandero reported positions to the Icelandic Coast Guard on the hour. The Coast Guard then transmitted those positions to Kristján Loftsson’s whaling ships and Loftsson has not turned on his AIS system for years without any reprimand from the Coast Guard.

The Icelandic Coast Guard and the Icelandic police have no legal right to detain the Bandero. The ship has not been cited for any violation or if so, we have not been informed of it.

If they want the ship to depart, they have made it very difficult by deporting the crew. It was also strange that the Icelandic government paid for all the airfares for the crew to return to their homes when it would have been much more cost effective for Iceland to let all the crew depart on the ship. But thanks for the free air tickets.

The Icelandic Coast Guard needs to release the ship without charging us port fees. We have no intention of paying port fees (pilotage, berthage, tugs etc.) that we did not request.

It’s difficult to move a ship without a crew. If the ship is damaged while in possession of the Icelandic Coast Guard or the Icelandic we will sue for damages.

We’re not sure how long this charade will go on but we suspect they are using any excuse to hold the ship hostage until Loftsson is finished torturing and murdering Fin whales.

Translation of the Morgunbladid today.
The Icelandic Transport Authority detained the ship Bandero, owned by the Paul Watson Association, at the end of July. The agency subsequently requested data and information from the ship's operator, which is necessary for another inspection. The detention can then be lifted. However, no response has yet been received from the association.
This is an international Bandero tonnage certificate, which specifies size, volume, gross tonnage and net tonnage; a nautical chart and confirmation of inspection and operation of the AIS system.
AIS is a positioning device that allows, among other things, coast guards to monitor the navigation of ships and is not permitted to be switched off without special permission. Despite this, the Bandero's AIS system has repeatedly been deactivated off the coast of Iceland. Because of this, the Bandero had to report its position regularly to the Coast Guard for a while.

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