File Photo: The Crude Oil Tanker DIGNITY. Photo courtesy of Martime Traffic.
In a statement on Saturday, the embassy said it had been closely monitoring the situation since the tanker was detained at the port of Suez, describing the issue as stemming from a “multi-layered commercial dispute”.
The embassy said it has been assisting the crew members, who are Russian nationals.
“Since the vessel was detained in the port of Suez, the embassy has been closely following the situation, as it involves a complex commercial dispute. We have been providing assistance to the crew members, who are citizens of our country,” the statement said.
According to the embassy, it has remained in contact with both the former and current captains of the vessel and has communicated with Egyptian authorities, the insurance company, crewing companies, and the ship’s agency companies.
The tanker was detained due to a claim over unpaid transit fees for passage through the Suez Canal that have not been settled, the embassy said.
It added that Egyptian authorities have not prevented the Russian crew from going ashore or returning to their home country, provided that the vessel’s safety is ensured.
However, the crew has not yet chosen to leave the ship, the embassy said, citing acceptable living conditions onboard and an unresolved dispute with the Russian shipowner over their financial dues. The embassy said the shipowner has avoided communication since the dispute began.
The embassy said it would continue monitoring developments with the crew and relevant Egyptian authorities and would assist the sailors if repatriation becomes necessary.
The case goes back to November 2025. At the time, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said it had no role in detaining the tanker at the Suez port anchorage, rejecting media reports linking the authority to the incident.
The authority said the case was related to a legal dispute between the vessel’s owning company and Sphinx Shipping Agency over unpaid financial dues.
The dispute prompted the Ismailia Economic Court to issue judicial order No. 45 of 2025 imposing a conservatory attachment on the vessel and ordering its detention at the Suez port anchorage until the payments are settled.
Separately, records published by the International Labour Organization (ILO) show that the tanker MT Dignity (IMO 9283241), flying the Russian flag, was also the subject of a labour case involving seven Russian seafarers who reported unpaid wages for August and September and requested urgent repatriation.
The case was reported to the flag state on 30 September 2025, with authorities contacting the shipowner, managers, and Egyptian maritime authorities.
According to the ILO records, the seafarers were repatriated on 24 February 2026, after receiving their outstanding wages totaling $64,886, bringing the case to a close.
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