The Federal High Court in Lagos has directed Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals FZE to release the detained vessel MT Stena Sunshine after accepting a financial guarantee from its owners.
Justice Akintayo Aluko issued the interim ruling following a legal challenge by the vessel’s owners, who accused the refinery of unlawfully detaining the ship. The court mandated that the vessel be freed upon submission of a $300,000 Letter of Undertaking (LoU) from GARD Protection & Indemnity Club, securing any verified claims by Dangote.
However, the judge declined the owners’ request for an injunction to prevent the refinery and its agents from further harassment or interference, stating that such matters would be addressed in the substantive hearing.
Case Background
The dispute stems from an incident on March 14, 2025, which led to the vessel’s detention. The owners, in a lawsuit (*FHC/L/CS/639/2025*), sought immediate release, arguing that the refinery had no legal basis to hold the ship.
Dangote Refinery, alongside Capt. Shivkumar Sherkhane and Rana Satendra, opposed the motion, filing an 11-paragraph counter-affidavit.
Court’s Decision
Justice Aluko ruled that while the request for protection from harassment could not be granted at this stage, the demand for the vessel’s release was justified. The court ordered:
Refusal of the harassment injunction (to be revisited in the main suit).
Approval of the vessel’s release upon filing the $300,000 LoU.
Formal submission of the guarantee to the court.
The case has been adjourned to May 27, 2025, for further hearing.
