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Robert Maersk Uggla hits out at month-long refugee crisis on the Maersk Etienne

Robert Maersk Uggla, the CEO of A.P. Moller Holding, has today decried the “terrible precedent” set by European governments for their failure to handle a refugee case onboard one of Maersk Tankers’ vessels.

Following a request from Maltese officials on August 4 the crew of the Danish-flagged Maersk Etienne rescued 27 migrants stranded in Tunisian waters. The rescued – who include a pregnant woman and at least one minor – have been forced to remain onboard the Danish-flagged tanker now for 29 days.

The industry is dumbfounded by the inaction of relevant states

“This is a new and unfortunate record for migrants held abroad a commercial ship,” Maersk Tankers warned in a release this week.

Taking to Linkedn, Uggla wrote that it was “deeply concerning” that authorities have not come up with a solution for the refugees, saying they’d now been living for nearly a month under “unacceptable” living conditions.

“The case sets a terrible precedent for the global merchant fleet and the Mediterranean trade lane. While our Group has rescued thousands of people over the years, we struggle to remember ever having a case, where a vessel and its crew have been left without support from authorities for so long. Not only is the industry dumbfounded by the inaction of relevant states, but Human Right Watch’s CEO has raised humanitarian concerns,” Uggla wrote, adding: “While many of us acknowledge the challenging political considerations, we are desperately awaiting Malta and Denmark to find a solution for the refugees, with EU or other relevant parties, so the ship and its crew are released.

Christian Ingerslev, the CEO of Maersk Tankers, also has used social media to try and resolve the issue onboard the tanker.

“We ask the relevant authorities to ensure that these migrants are immediately tended to and provided the care and attention they need. Doing so will also allow our captain and crew to continue their voyage and return home to their families,” Ingerslev wrote on LinkedIn yesterday.

Sam Chambers

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.

Comments

    1. Chartered flight with saved migrants to Copenhagen could be more economic and less stressfull not to mention great P.R . stunt on their own and not Malta’s nickel.

    2. the immigrants should have been taken back to shore in Libya or Tunisia as those were the closest ports if anything rhe ship is danish soil sunce it carries a Danish flag so why Maersk are doing pressure on Mediterranean countries to take them and are not hosting them back in Denmark???, strictly speaking they should take them to Denmark , and we see if the Danish won’t object

      1. Believe me no one gives a s**t for any legality. I have seen a lot of this nonsense, it’s only all big talk and waste of Owners and Mangaers money. Owners make the biggest mistake by not diverting the ship back to the port where they boarded. Thinking that the vessel will go off hire, LET HER GO OFFHIRE. but you will be relieved of the nasty laws which are against the seafarers. BUT DON’T SAY THAT YOU RETURNED FOR LANDING STOWAYS OR ILLEGAL MIGRANTS, ONLY SAY YOU’VE COME IN FOR EMERGENCY FRESH WATER, SOME CHEMICALS AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT. Then before departure mentioned your vessel was just boarded by unauthorised persons.

    1. Believe me no one gives a s**t for any legality.
      I have seen a lot of this nonsense, it’s only all big talk and waste of Owners and Mangaers money.
      Owners make the biggest mistake by not diverting the ship back to the port where they boarded. Thinking that the vessel will go off hire, LET HER GO OFFHIRE. but you will be relieved of the nasty laws which are against the seafarers.
      BUT DON’T SAY THAT YOU RETURNED FOR LANDING STOWAYS OR ILLEGAL MIGRANTS,
      ONLY SAY YOU’VE COME IN FOR EMERGENCY FRESH WATER, SOME CHEMICALS AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT.
      Then before departure mentioned your vessel was just boarded by unauthorised persons.

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