Maersk: Crew of Ship Seized by Iran are Safe

The shipping company Maersk announced on Wednesday, April 9, that the crew of the ship seized by Iran is safe, but they have not been informed exactly why Iran has detained the vessel. An Iranian official stated that 'the debt of the Danish shipping company' was the reason for the ship's seizure. According to the Associated Press, the MV Maersk Tigris, sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, was seized by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's naval patrols in the Strait of Hormuz on April 8 and taken to Bandar Abbas. This incident occurred at a sensitive time as Iran's nuclear negotiations with the West are nearing their final stages. Cor Radings, a spokesperson for the international shipping company Rickmers in Singapore, which currently leases the ship, told news agencies that they spoke with the crew by phone on Wednesday morning. He added, 'We have confirmed that the crew is on the ship and in safe and good conditions.' The spokesperson mentioned that Iranian officials are still on board the ship, and there has been no contact with the responsible authorities in Iran. The Revolutionary Guard's naval units fired warning shots at the ship on Tuesday to stop and seize it. In response to this action, the U.S. Navy sent a destroyer and an aircraft to the area. According to the spokesperson for Rickmers, of the 24 crew members, most are from Eastern Europe and Asian countries, with no Americans among them. Iranian state television reported that the crew members are from the UK, Bulgaria, Romania, and Myanmar. The Romanian Foreign Ministry confirmed that four sailors from the ship are citizens of that country. The Tasnim news agency quoted Hadi Haqshenas, deputy of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization, on Wednesday, stating that the ship is still under detention. This Iranian official added, 'The reason for the ship's seizure is the unpaid debts of the Danish shipping company Maersk to an Iranian company, and for this reason, the court issued the seizure order.' Cor Radings, the spokesperson for Rickmers, stated that he is 'unaware' of the debt issue and that inquiries should be directed to the ship's owner, Maersk. The Maersk spokesperson also said on Wednesday that the reason for the ship's seizure is still not entirely clear to them, and they expressed 'unawareness' regarding the debt claims. The Associated Press reported that according to reports published in a shipping magazine, the main owner of the ship is an American international investment company called Oak Tree Capital, based in Los Angeles. However, a spokesperson for this company declined to comment and referred any inquiries to the company currently leasing the ship. Cor Radings also stated that the owner of the ship consists of 'private investors' and did not provide further information. He added that the Danish company Maersk leased the ship for cargo transport, and its cargo does not include sensitive items such as military equipment. The U.S. Navy is monitoring the movements of the Iranian navy and cargo ships in the region. Last week, the U.S. Navy deployed an aircraft carrier and a missile ship to the Sea of Oman, which some experts believe was to 'control the shipment of weapons from Iran to the Houthi Shiites in Yemen.' Additionally, U.S. military officials stated that last Friday, Iranian patrol boats surrounded a commercial ship sailing under the American flag in the Strait of Hormuz, but after a while and without firing a shot, they ended the blockade, allowing the ship to continue its journey without issue.