ACCRA - The Argentine naval vessel - ARA Libertad - detained at the Tema Port since October has finally been released, Ghanaian port authorities confirmed to Xinhua on Wednesday.

Director for the port of Tema Jacob Adorkor told Xinhua via telephone that the vessel sailed out of the Ghanaian port at 4:20 pm on the orders of the shipping agent, Map Shipping Limited.

A crew member of the Argentine naval vessel ARA Libertad helps to refuel the ship at Tema port near Accra, Dec 19, 2012, before it sailed. [Photo/Agencies]

The naval training vessel, which arrived in Tema on Oct 1 on a goodwill mission to train Ghanaian naval personnel, was impounded on the orders of a High Court over unpaid debts

The Argentine government owes NML Capital about $350 million in unpaid bond money.

But a United Nations (UN) tribunal ruled on last Saturday that naval ships were immune to civil claims and ordered Ghana to release the Argentine training vessel unconditionally.

"Ghana must release with no conditions the frigate, guaranteeing that the vessel, its captain and the crew to leave the port of Tema and ensuring their provision," the panel said in a unanimous decision.

"The Government of Ghana will carefully consider the Tribunal's order with a view to ensuring that it is given effect, having regard to the requirements of the Constitution and the country's international obligations," said Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Chris Kpodo in a statement issued recently.

The Ghana High Court decision to detain the ARA Libertad, according to Kpodo, "placed the government of Ghana in a very delicate situation on the account of the strong and positive relations we enjoy with Argentina."

Throughout the impasse, the government of Ghana maintained that it did not consider itself to be in dispute with Argentina.

"We were holding the ship under the instruction of the agent because the court order was served on the agent," Adorkor explained.

The port director could not tell whether the vessel was headed back to Argentina or what its next port of call would be.

Nearly 300 sailors on board flew back home late October leaving a skeleton crew to man the ship.