Crew onboard a containership detained at Chatham in south-east England have not been paid in three months and are being supplied with food by a seafarers’ charity.
Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) told Splash provisions on the Southern Star (518 teu, built 1999) are “running low”.
(518 teu, built 1999) are “running low”.The charity has been supplying essential provisions such as bread and milk to the eight Russian seafarers remaining onboard the ship. Five crew, also Russian nationals, have already been repatriated.
The vessel was taken into Chatham after developing engine trouble and was subsequently detained by the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) after it was found to be unseaworthy and in a state of disrepair. The UK Admiralty Court arrested the vessel on charges of non-payment of bunker fees.
“Despite their difficulties and anxieties the crew are very modest. They’ve said that there are many other seafarers who are more deserving of help; which I find truly humbling given their circumstances,” Deacon Paul Glock, port chaplain for AoS Kent, said of the stranded crew.
Details of the Cook Islands-registered vessel’s owner remain sketchy. Equasis lists the registered owner as Evry Global Inc, care of the ship’s commercial manager Coralot Consulting Ltd, which is registered in Larnaca, Cyprus.
The disturbing part is the last para where the owners remain untraceable , and cannot be held liable for the state of the vessel or the crew ( The fallout of the Original PANAMA PAPERS as in Flags of Convenience.)In this age of STCW 2007 and all bells and whistles of the Manila conventions and all regulations pushed on by the developed world , the same people hoodwink all the regulations to operate and man the ships .
Exactly. Another vessel database linked the company to another owner/operator, but I opted to use Equasis as it’s usually more accurate.
Really hope the remaining crew are repatriated quickly. Great work by Apostleship in the meantime!