29 Mar 2024
Wednesday 29 April 2015 - 22:04
Story Code : 162818

Seizure of Maersk ship no violation of maritime rules: Iran

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham has defended as legal Irans decision to impound a cargo ship in the Persian Gulf, saying the vessel was seized by Iranian Navy forces based on a court decision.

The move was in the framework of the laws and regulations of the Islamic Republic of Iran and [is] consistent with International regulations and protocols, Afkham said on Wednesday.

Afkham expressed hope that the ship could be released soon after its overdue debt is settled, adding that the vessel is currently docked at the Bahonar Port near Bandar Abbas in south Iran.

She noted that all 24 crew members of various nationalities on board the ship are in full health, saying they can receive unrestricted consular services.

Earlier in the day, a spokesman for Iran'sPorts and Maritime Organization said the seizure of Maersk Tigris on Tuesday was based on a court ruling issued on March 16, 2015, which reportedly came after a plaintiff sued the Maersk Line, the Danish company operating the ship, over unpaid debts.

Maersksaid in a media statement on Wednesday that it is working with its partnersto resolve the situation.

Maersk Tigris which was seized in the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf had trespassed on Iranian waters carrying theflag of the Marshal Islands, a pacific nation currently under US military protection.

According to IRNA, the ships captain is Bulgarian and the first mate is Russian. Other crewmembers include 13 nationals of Myanmar, 4 Romanians, one Ukrainian, one British national, two Sri Lankans, and a national of Poland.

By Press TV
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