RIO DE JANEIRO, July 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two Iranian ships stranded off
the coast of Brazil for weeks have sailed for home, officials said,
after a court ordered state oil giant Petrobras to fuel up the vessels.
The bulk carriers had been stuck at Paranagua port in the southern state of
Parana since early last month after Petrobras refused to provide fuel for
fear of breaching US sanctions on Iran.
The port administrator said that the ship Termeh left around noon Saturday, headed to another Brazilian port where it would be loaded with corn. The Bavand, which already has its cargo, left for Iran Saturday night. The journey home takes approximately 30 days, the administrator added.
A spokesperson for Eleva Quimica, the Brazilian company which contracted
the vessels, said refueling started in the early hours of Saturday, with the
Termeh receiving 600 tons and Bavand 1,300 tons of fuel.
Petrobras, whose stock is listed in the US and in Sao Paulo, confirmed it
was refueling the ships.
The Supreme Court order came after Iran’s top envoy to Brazil said that Tehran could suspend imports from Brazil if the issue was not
resolved.
The ships had reportedly brought urea, which is used to make fertilizer, to
Brazil and were to transport corn back to Iran. — NNN-AGENCIES