Hispania Spirit back in business after cocaine find

Teekay’s LNG carrier Hispania Spirit is back in service after local authorities in the Peruvian port of Pisco have found 211 kilograms of cocaine onboard the tanker.

“We can confirm that the gas tanker Hispania Spirit has resumed normal operations following the incident where the crew discovered a stowaway in the Rudder trunk space on September 8,” Teekay spokesman Jonathan Anthony told LNG World News in an e-mailed statement.

The Peruvian coast guard raided the vessel on September 8 after “suspicious activities” were reported to find the cocaine in the LNG ship’s rudder trunk space with a Venezuelan citizen who was not a crew member, the Peruvian navy said.

Local authorities have taken the person into custody and removed him from the vessel together with the drug.

Teekay denied media reports that the 140,500 cbm LNG tanker was detained after it was boarded by the Peruvian National Police.

“The vessel and its crew remained in the vicinity to support the authorities in their investigation,” Anthony added.

LNG World News Staff; Image: Teekay