Athens: Rickmers Shipmanagement and Maersk Line have both denied reports that the 24 crew onboard the detained Maersk Tigris have been released and are being repatriated.
The crew members remain onboard the vessel for the time being, Cor Radings from Rickmers Shipmanagement told Splash today.
Progress is being made however, Maersk has today given a “letter of undertaking” to Iranian authorities that relates to the 10-year-old cargo claim in question, which could indicate the company’s intention to pay the $10m fine for the vessel’s release. Iranian authorities stated that could happen within two days of the fine being paid.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham told press that all the crew are in “good health” and, if required, will receiving counsel immediately, AFP reports.
“We are in communication with officials from the Republic of the Marshall Islands as well as with the shipping company to determine the best steps forward to ensure the peaceful resolution of this incident and the safe passage of the ship and crew,” Afkham said.
The Tigris (62,292 dwt, built 2014; pictured) was arrested following a 10-year-old legal complaint by a private Iranian company. The ship was apprehended in the Strait of Hormuz by the Iranian navy on April 28, and since then it has been at anchor off Iran’s Qeshm Island.
In the 2005 case, Maersk delivered 10 containers to Dubai but they were not claimed within 90 days and so were disposed of by the UAE authorities. The Iranian client went to court in Iran to claim for the lost cargo and the court made a $3.6m judgment in their favour.
