Meditteranean Shipping Company has reported that its crew of 25 seafarers on board the MSC Aries is safe after the vessel was seized on Saturday by members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The vessel was on its way to India through the Strait of Hormuz when it was diverted off course.
According to the latest unconfirmed reports, it’s detained in the vicinity of Bandar Abbas on Iran’s coast, directly north of the Strait.
MSC told Bloomberg that “discussions with the Iranian authorities are in progress” to secure the release of the crew.
Iran claims its action over the weekend, one day ahead of its missile and drone barrage unleashed on Israel, stem’s from the vessel being operated by an Isaeli shipping magnate.
The MSC Aries is carrying a load of industrial fluids and related material needed by manufacturers in India and Canada, cargo-tracking data by Vizion reveals.
In a customer advisory following the capture of the vessel MSC said it “will continue to provide uninterrupted and regular service on the Himalaya Express and all other services operating in the region.”
