The Russian shipping company Prime Shipping claimed the rumors about possible arrest of its fleet as unfounded. The reports came after Italy authorities initiated a probe into a tax evasion case and had filed charges against Prime Shipping’s parent company Pietro Barbaro, the shipping company told PortNews.
A spokesperson for Prime Shipping said the company was not implicated in the EUR 20 mln tax fraud scheme that Pietro Barbaro Group is accused of.
"Barbaro has always implemented its business in full accordance with the principles of legality and transparency. The company is confident in the course of the investigation conducted by authorities, and has been cooperative and has no doubts in its favorable outcome," the Prime Shipping spokesman said.
As for the sale in 2004 of six new ships built in South Korean, Pietro Barbaro claims the fraud charges to be totally unfounded, since the transaction for the sale of newbuilds contracts had been properly and legally executed with a complete set of all necessary documentation, Prime Shipping said.
The Russian partner of Barbaro considers as unreasonable the earlier published assumptions about the possible arrest of the Prime Shipping’s fleet.
Samara region-based Prime Shipping Ltd. is a subsidiary of Pietro Barbaro. The shipping company was acquired by Pietro Barbaro in January 2006. The company is engaged primarily in shipping of crude oil and petroleum products.