An MSC-operated container ship, MSC Olia, remains detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) after it was found anchoring without authorization in Malaysian waters on 16 May.
The vessel was spotted approximately 22.5 nautical miles southwest of Sekinchan, in the busy Malacca Strait.
The MMEA’s Area Control Centre detected the vessel’s suspicious position at 09:20 local time on Friday. By 13:20, authorities confirmed that the ship was stationary.
A maritime patrol boat was dispatched and found the MSC Olia anchored without prior approval from the Malaysian Maritime Department.
The ship’s captain, a 44-year-old Russian national, was unable to produce the necessary documentation authorizing the anchorage—an offence under Malaysia’s Merchant Shipping Ordinance of 1952.
If convicted, the penalties could include a fine of up to MYR100,000 (approximately $23,000 USD), imprisonment for up to two years, or both.
According to The Maritime Executive, the MSC Olia is a 3,760-TEU container vessel built in 2007 and owned by MSC since 2021. At the time of the incident, it was en route from Jakarta to Singapore.
The vessel is currently docked at Port Klang as the MMEA continues its investigation. Further updates will be provided as the inquiry progresses.
