The ships held in Africa are not part of ASCO's fleet, Mehman Mehdiyev, spokesperson for Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company JSC (ASCO) said Wednesday, The Caspian Post reports citing local media.

According to Mehdiyev, the use of photos showing ASCO ships sailing in the Caspian Sea in the news about the detained ships has caused concern.

"We receive numerous messages of concern from sailors and their families. Just as false information can cause confusion, so can false footage," he noted.