Marins abandonnés - Communiqué du secrétaire du Seafarers Union of Kenya
08/04/2015
Abandoned Seafarers
14 crew members composed of 7 Madagascar and 7 Kenyan seafarers are stranded at the sea port of Mombasa for more than three months now.
The abandoned crew of Zanzibar flagged cargo ship MV MUNEERA is working without pay for several months and lack food and fresh water supply.
Beneficiary owner of the ill-fated MUNEERA is a Malagasy national while the registered ship manager is the Monrovia based DOMMEL MARITIME CORP.
This brings to 16 East African seafarers being abandoned by the ship owners since the beginning of this year.
11 crew members of Panama flagged offshore supply ship MTTRUE GRIT is stranded in port Khafji, Saudi Arabia for more than six months now.
The abandoned seafarers are working and living on board the offshore supply ship without pay for several months and lack food and water supplies, medical care or means to return home.
Abandoned crews of the Offshore Supply Ship are comprised of Kenyan, Tanzanian, Indonesian, Filipinos and Indian nationals.
Two Kenyans and a Tanzanian marine engineer are among the 11 crew members of the Panama flagged offshore supply vessel stranded at Khafji Port in Saudi Arabia.
The vessel is owned by Huston based Intermarine Inc., while her managers are IMI Marine Operations Inc.
Abandonment of ocean-going vessels and seafarers is a common thing in the Middle-East and Africa region.
January this year a Tanzanian and 3 Kenyan merchant mariners arrived Mombasa port from Zanzibar where they were abandoned for 19 months by the owners of the Isle of Man flagged Yacht MID SUMMER.
Sri Lankan owned Ocean-going vessel MV LANKA MAHAPOLA and her 26 Sir Lankan crew members were abandoned at the port of Mombasa for three years before she sailed out last year.
MV Lanka Mahapola was previously detained in South Africa and Sudan amidst disputes over crew wages and queries over seaworthiness, certification and registration.
ILO Database on Abandonment of Seafarers indicates that 159 merchant ships were abandoned in several sea ports world over as at March 2014. This database contains a regularly updated list of vessels that have been reported to the ILO as abandoned in various ports of the world by appropriate organizations. It specifically includes information on seafarers, who have been abandoned and their current status.
Andrew Mwangura, Organizing secretary of Seafarers Union of Kenya
P.O. Box 92273
Mombasa, 80102 Kenya.
Cell: 00254 721 393458 Fax: 00254 41 230001 E-Fax:18014093908
Email: mwangura@yahoo.com
Skype: andrew.mwangura2