Maersk Tigris Still in Limbo

The seized Maersk Tigris containership remains in custody with Iranian authorities, according to Danish liner Maersk Line.

The seizure of Maersk Tigris on April 28th by Iranian patrol boats is said to be related to a cargo dispute between a private company named Pars Talaee Oil Production Company and Maersk Line, which dates back to 2005.

Despite several meetings with local authorities, the company said that it had not yet obtained a written notification on the arrest.

“On Sunday 3 May, a Maersk Line representative met again with the Ports & Maritime Organization (PMO) in Iran, and the Danish Ambassador to Iran met with the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Today, 4 May, the Danish Ambassador met with the PMO. We have yet to receive any written notifications (court ruling, arrest order or similar) pertaining to the seizure of Maersk Tigris or the cargo case,” the company said in an emailed statement.

The company insists that the seizure is unjustified and that the crew and vessel be released as soon as possible as they are not party to the case in any way.

Maersk Tigris is a time-charter (T/C) vessel managed and crewed by Rickmers Shipmanagement.

Rickmers Group’s representative boarded Maersk Tigris on April 30 to check up on the 24 seafarers on board the vessel that got caught in the middle of the dispute and are now being kept by Iranian authorities for almost a week.

“In his contacts with the crew our representative has been able to establish that all seafarers are safe and on board the vessel. Given the current circumstances they are all in a good condition,” the company said.

“We will continue to do everything we can to resolve this matter. Our paramount concern remains the safety of the crew and the safe release of the vessel,” Maersk Line said in the latest update.

The 2014-built Maersk Tigris remains at anchor in the Persian Gulf, around 7 nautical miles off Bandar Abbas.

The Iranian Embassy said on Thursday that the ship the would be released once the debt case was settled, Reuters reports.

Managing-Director of Pars Tala’eyeh Oil Products Company Hamidreza Jahanian told Fars News Agency that if the debt is not resolved that the assets and properties on the ship and even the vessel itself will be put up to tender and will be sold to compensate for the incurred loss.

World Maritime News Staff; Image: PMO