Iran Plans to Sell Seized Commercial Ships to “Compensate” Fishermen
An Iranian judicial official in a local TV interview said they planned to sell seized commercial ships linked to the Americans and Israelis as a form of compensation. In the past, Iran has sold seized oil cargoes, saying it was compensation, but this would be the first time it attempts to sell the vessels.
Hassan Abdollianpour, head of the judiciary’s Center for Lawyers, said he was in Bandar Abbas along with other experts conducting an inspection to assess the damage as the first step in compensation claims. Without naming the specific vessels, he said commercial vessels linked to the United States and Israel seized during the war would be sold, with the proceeds used for compensation.
He said the vessels had been stopped in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf for violations and seized under judicial rulings. In April, Iran attacked and stopped two containerships associated with MSC, the MSC Francesca and the Epaminondas.
The MSC Francesca, built in 2008, is owned by MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, which Iran frequently asserts is linked to Israel. The vessel is 174,897 dwt with a capacity for 11,668 TEU. The Epaminondas, however, is Greek-owned and managed by Technomar Shipping and was on charter to MSC. Built in 1998, the 94,769 dwt vessel has a capacity of 6,690 TEU. Both ships are being held near Bandar Abbas, while nearby is the MSC Aries (158,097 dwt) held by Iran since April 2024 and owned by an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime, of which Eyal Ofer is the lead investor.
"To file an effective lawsuit and achieve a result, the first step is a detailed assessment and documentation of the damages,” said Abdollianpour in an interview at the fishing pier in Bandar Abbas. He asserts that 537 cases of damages have been documented and are in the legal process in areas ranging from Bandar Abbas to Qeshm, Bandar Lengeh, and Jask.
The report says that the assessment process is still ongoing, and that as many as 760 claims have been filed for damage to fishing vessels and boats damaged by the American attacks on the ports. He said a documented and comprehensive report for the injured captains, sailors, and fishermen was prepared so they could pursue claims in the legal framework.
"Currently, more than 100 cases are being processed in the Tehran Revolutionary Court, and a special branch has been formed to review these cases, " Abdolianpour said. He said that, based on the judicial rulings, they intended to use the proceeds from the sale of the vessels to pay damages to the families and individuals who were harmed in the war.
Iran’s so-called Persian Gulf Strait Authority has also threatened vessels that attempt to transit the Strait of Hormuz without obtaining authorization that they could face fines, detention, or confiscation. It has also warned that there would be “consequences” if shipping companies and others had dealings with the ships it has black listed.
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In 2024, Iran said it had seized a crude oil cargo from a Greek tanker chartered to Chevron. It said the court had ordered the cargo sold and the proceeds to be used to compensate individuals who had been harmed by the U.S. sanctions and the blockade on critical medicines.
