An Indian court called for the vessel's seizure over an unpaid debt. Port facilities at Kochi (Cochin) include a container terminal on Willingdon Island. File photo: Reuters.
Indian officials have detained a Russia-flagged ship carrying military equipment over an unpaid debt.
The Russian embassy in New Delhi said the cargo was destined for the Indian armed forces and called for the vessel’s release.
The Kerala High Court ordered that the Maia-1 be arrested until it pays 1.9 million rupees ($23,500) to an Estonian firm, Bunker Partner, headquartered in Tallinn.
Bunker Partner is a trader of bunker fuel and lubricants, supplying very low sulphur fuel oil to US ports and marine fuels in Estonian and Latvian ports.
Envoys at the Russian embassy said they were aware that a Russian cargo ship had been seized at the Indian port of Kochi, or Cochin, in Kerala state.
“The embassy has sent to the Ministry of External Affairs of India an official request for explanation of the circumstances of the incident,” India’s ANI news agency quoted the embassy as saying.
“We have also asked the ministry to ensure unconditional observance of the rights of the Russian shipowners and crew,” the statement quoted by ANI added.
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