The detention of a Grenadian-registered vessel by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Coast Guard has sparked a legal and diplomatic firestorm, with prominent criminal defense attorney Anslem Clouden alleging a serious violation of international maritime law.
The vessel, the MV Pathfinder, was intercepted on Saturday, July 12th, while navigating through the territorial waters of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. According to Clouden, the ship was lawfully exercising its right of innocent passage under Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Despite this, the vessel was interdicted and escorted to Union Island, where it remains detained.
The MV Pathfinder was en route to Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou, from Martinique, where it had recently delivered a shipment of fish. At the time of its seizure, the vessel was carrying a manifested cargo that included Kronenbourg 1664 beers and various household merchandise.
Attorney Clouden emphasized that the ship’s captain contacted him directly regarding the incident. He asserts that no illegal substances or unlawful goods were discovered on board during the search by authorities. Furthermore, Clouden argues there was no evidence that the vessel posed any threat to the “peace, good order, or security” of the coastal state, which is the standard required to abrogate the right of innocent passage.
“You cannot without reasonable and probable grounds interdict a boat because you don’t like its color or you don’t like its flag,” Clouden stated, noting that international law dictates specific protections for ships traversing territorial seas.
Expressing concern that this is not an isolated incident for Grenadian vessels, Clouden has officially reached out to Grenada’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Joseph Andall. He is requesting that a formal diplomatic note of protest be lodged against the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines regarding the conduct of its Coast Guard.
The attorney highlighted the potential for the situation to escalate if not resolved through diplomatic channels. He suggested that Grenada could take retaliatory action against Vincentian ships that trade between Trinidad and St. Vincent—particularly those transporting agricultural goods like Tanya, Dasheen, and other vegetables—when they traverse Grenadian territorial waters. Such measures, he warned, would create “great inconvenience” for regional trade.
As of the latest reports, the MV Pathfinder remains in the custody of St. Vincent and the Grenadines authorities, who have not yet provided an official comment on the legal basis for the detention.
