In Libya, the Eastern Tripoli government has exported its first cargo of crude oil ever since the country was divided into two independently governed regions in late 2014.

The vessel Distya Ameya, was laden with 650,000 BO produced from the Messla and Sarir oil fields at Hariga port, Omran al-Zwai in the east and was bought by UAE- based DSA Consultancy FZC, en route to Malta.

The National Oil Company (NOC) in the West had said that the shipment was illegal and had reported the attempt to export oil independently to Libya’s UN-backed unity government.

Libya has been divided into two rival administrations in the east and west ever since the 2011 uprising that toppled Mohammed Gaddafi. The country's oil production has decreased due to the rivalry between armed factions, attacks by Islamic State militants and labour disputes.

Production has reduced to below a quarter of the 1.6 million bpd being produced before the revolt.

The Western NOC in Tripoli is acknowledged by oil companies like Glencore Plc and Vitol Group as Libya’s official crude marketer and has frequently cautioned buyers against loading illegal cargoes of oil from the NOC administration in the east.

Meanwhile Libya's eastern government’s efforts to sell oil via a parallel oil company have been in vain, and have been severely attacked by the NOC in Tripoli, Times of Malta reports.

Anita Fatunji