Speaking to Iranian media managing director of Pars Tala'eyeh Oil Products Co, Hamidreza Jahanian, claimed his company was owed $10m in compensation, nearly three times the $3.6m Maersk said last week it understood Iranian courts had awarded in the case.
The case relates to containers sent to Jebel Ali Port in 2005 according to Maersk, while Jahanian said it was in 2003.
The FARS News Agency reported that Jahanian said the ship would released if Maersk pays compensation, however, if it does not assets or even the ship itself could be sold.
This is despite as Maersk underlined in a separate statement on Monday it does not own the Maersk Tigris, which it charters from Rickmers Group.
“Maersk Tigris is a time-charter (T/C) vessel managed and crewed by Rickmers Shipmanagement. The crew is not employed by Maersk Line and the vessel is not owned by Maersk Line,” it stated.
“Maersk Tigris and its crew are thus not in any way party to the cargo case, which allegedly according to the Iranian authorities is the reason behind the seizure of Maersk Tigris.”
Meanwhile Maersk and Danish government officials have not made any progress in terms of seeing written legal documention in meetings with Iranian officials over the last two days.
“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.”
Maersk Line added: “We will continue to do everything we can to resolve this matter.”
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