EMEA News
Iran Releases the Maersk Tigris
A Maersk Line containership which was seized last week in the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian authorities was released Thursday, BBC reports.
The Marshall Islands-flagged Maersk Tigris was detained over a dispute stemming from 2005, which Maersk Line said involved the delivery of cargo aboard the ship that was never collected.
The contents of 10 containers were disposed of after 90 days, said Maersk, with Iran-based Pars Tala'eyeh Oil Products Company purportedly launching a lawsuit claiming Maersk Line defaulted on the cargo shortly after.
The 24 crew aboard the ship are reportedly in "good condition."
"We will continue our dialogue with the aim to fully resolve the cargo case," said Maersk Line in a statement.
The significance of a ship being detained in a major shipping lane also led to the involvement of the Danish government, who reportedly involved itself in the negotiations for the ship's release.
"For Denmark as a seafaring nation, it is obviously a priority that international obligations are complied with and that ships can sail in the Persian Gulf," said Danish Foreign Minister Martin Lidegaard.
During the detainment, the ship was reportedly taken to Bandar Abbas, with separate reports saying that the Maersk Tigris has now resumed its original journey to the Port of Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Earlier this week, it was reported that Pars said that it would sell the Maersk Tigris if Maersk Line failed to pay the $10 million in losses that is allegedly owed.
