Kuala Lumpur: The owners of the MV Malaysia Star have cited legal and financial obligations as the primary reasons why vehicles aboard the vessel have yet to be released following a recent fire.
According to a statement issued their lawyers today, the vessel's owners are required to collect general average and salvage security before any vehicles can be returned to their owners.
These securities are meant to compensate affected cargo owners whose vehicles were damaged in the incident, as well as the salvors who played a role in saving the ship and its cargo.
Under maritime law, the shipowners must maintain a lien over the vehicles, meaning they cannot release them until sufficient security is provided.
The owners asserted that they were merely complying with legal obligations and have no option but to hold onto the vehicles until the necessary payments from all vehicle owners are secured.
They also clarified that the fire, which broke out on board, was linked to one of the cars loaded onto the vessel, though investigations into the exact cause remain ongoing.
In an effort to assist affected vehicle owners, the owners have set up a hotline for legal assistance and plan to hold townhall sessions to explain the complexities of the general average and salvage process.
They urged the public not to speculate about the incident and assured that they are making every effort to expedite the vehicle release process.
They then apologised to all affected vehicle owners, stressing that the delay was not intentional and that the owners were not at fault for the fire.
On Tuesday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said his ministry facilitate a resolution in this matter, after a fire last December on Malaysia Star left nearly 1,000 vehicles in its cargo stranded at Port Klang.
