Kenya-UN standoff ends as Mombasa port releases Norwegian flagged ship

The Norwegian flagged Hoegh Autoliners cargo ship. [PHOTO: GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD]

MOMBASA: Kenya's authorities have freed a Norwegian flagged ship Hoegh Transporter and its crew from Mombasa's port where it has been detained on suspicion of weapons smuggling since September 17, ending a tense eight day standoff with the UN which had imported trucks and armoured cars on board.

Releasing the vessel worth Sh82 billion on Friday night also ended a separate three way quarrel involving the ship's owner, Kenya government and the UN. The UN had contracted the vessel to transport 34 armoured personal carriers and two ambulances from Mumbai, India to Mombasa port for India's contingency of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, through Uganda.