Caspian Marine Services: Bureaucratic hurdles keep three Azerbaijani vessels in Eritrean custody

Three Azerbaijani vessels, detained in Eritrea since November 7, 2024, remain in custody due to ongoing bureaucratic procedures, according to Caspian Marine Services B.V., with diplomatic efforts continuing to secure their release.

In particular, the documentation process required for the release of the Azerbaijani ships is still ongoing, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

"It will take some time to free the ships. The crew members are fine, they have access to food and remain in contact with their families," the company said.

On November 7, 2024, the vessels CMS Pəhləvan, CMS İgid, and CMS-3, operated by the Azerbaijani branch of Caspian Marine Services B.V. and flying the Azerbaijani state flag, were forced to enter the territorial waters of the State of Eritrea while en route from the Suez Canal to Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) due to worsening weather conditions.

The vessels were subsequently detained by the relevant Eritrean authorities, which justified the action by claiming an unauthorized entry into its territorial waters.

The 18 crew members aboard ships are citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Legal arguments asserting that the ships' entry into Eritrean waters did not violate international law have been communicated to Eritrean officials through Azerbaijan’s embassies in Ethiopia and Russia.

Meetings have taken place with the Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Eritrean embassies in Türkiye and Moscow. Efforts to resolve the issue and secure the release of the ships and their crew are ongoing.

On January 8, Azerbaijan has sent a diplomatic note to Eritrea regarding the seizure of three ships and their crews, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan said.

The ministry highlighted that legal grounds, asserting that the vessels' entry into Eritrean territorial waters did not violate international law, were communicated to the Eritrean authorities through Azerbaijan’s embassies in Ethiopia and Russia, along with the necessary diplomatic notes for appropriate action.

By Aghakazim Guliyev