Golden Horizon
22 seafarers abandoned on the Golden Horizon (IMO 9793545, flag Croatia) in Split, Croatia, 15 December 2024. ILO case 1192, status: Disputed.
- Status
- Disputed
- Abandonment ID
- 1192
- IMO Number
- 9793545
- Flag
- Croatia
- Port of Abandonment
- Split, Croatia
- Abandonment Date
- 15 December 2024
- Notification Date
- 14 January 2025
- Seafarers
- 22
- Reporting Org.
- International Transport Workers' Federation
Circumstances
Crew owed 3 months wages (October, November and December)
Seafarers applied to insurer?: ITF on behalf of the crew
Insurance certificate dates: TBC
Updates
31 July 2025: International Transport Workers' Federation
The crew members who met the conditions set by the P&I Club specifically, outstanding wages of more than two months have been paid. A number of seafarers have claims that are less than two months overdue; they remain unpaid, and we are awaiting payments from the company.
Disputed.
14 July 2025: Indonesia
(From the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Zagreb, Croatia)
The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Zagreb presents its compliments to the the International Labour Organization Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe in Budapest and has the honour to refer to the recent correspondence submitted by the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia to the ILO Secretariat (dated 21 May 2025), subject: Payment of overdue wages for seafarers embarked on bord MV Golden Horizon IMO 9793545 and MV Klara IMO 9781827. The Embassy has a particular interest and legal standing in the case because it involves unpaid wages and the possible abandonment of 37 Indonesian seafarers who were formerly employed aboard the MV Golden Horizon.
The Embassy respectfully requests the kind assistance of the ILO Office in Budapest to convey and follow up on the queries submitted by the Croatian authorities to the ILO. The Embassy believes that an authoritative response from the ILO would significantly clarify the interpretation and application of relevant provisions of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC 2006), particularly in relation to seafarer abandonment and liability for unpaid wages after repatriation. Herewith, the aforementioned letter is attached for the ILO's perusal.
Furthermore, the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, through its Embassy in Zagreb, would also like to respectfully submit the following additional queries for the ILO’s consideration and expert response:
1. Whether the entitlement to unpaid wages remains enforceable under the MLC 2006 if the seafarers have been repatriated prior to the official declaration of abandonment, particularly in cases of short-term contracts (most Indonesians formerly employed by the ship worked less than 2 months of service), and how should competent authorities interpret the provisions of Standard A2.5.2?
2. To what extent is the shipowner and P&I insurance provider financially liable for unpaid wages under the MLC 2006, even after the termination of employment and repatriation, and what constitutes the exhaustion of such liability?
3. What mechanisms or enforcement measures are available to competent authorities under the MLC 2006 to ensure compliance by shipowners and insurers, particularly in cases where voluntary resolution has stalled, failed, or the liability is disputed?
The Embassy would be grateful for any guidance or clarification the ILO may be able to provide on these points to assist all concerned parties in resolving this matter in line with international labour standards.
The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the International Labour Organization Regional Office in Budapest the assurances of its highest consideration.
21 May 2025: Croatia
(From the Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure)
We have been informed by the representative of the Seafarers Union (ITF) in Croatia that seafarers on board the Croatian-flagged vessels MV Golden Horizon (IMO 9793545) and MV Klara (IMO 9781827) have not received their contractual wages.
Upon receiving this report, we initiated a PSC inspection, which confirmed the accuracy of the claims made by the seafarers.
In line with our responsibilities, we immediately issued a detention order for both MV Golden Horizon and MV Klara, and the ITF promptly notified the International Labour Organization (ILO) regarding the abandonment of the seafarers on board these vessels.
The inspection further confirmed that the SHIPOWNERS CLUB, ***** (hereinafter: P&I Club) is acting as the financial security provider for the vessels and has issued the required financial security documents in accordance with Regulation 2.5.2, Standard A2.5.2, and Regulation 4.2, Standard A4.2.1, paragraph 1(b) of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006, as amended.
The details of the financial security are as follows:
— MV Golden Horizon (No. *****), with an expiry date of 20.02.2025
— MV Klara (No. *****), with an expiry date of 11.06.2025.
Additionally, the P&I Club cancelled the financial security document for MV Klara on 25.02.2025, with the cancellation date set to 31.01.2025.
Upon gathering the necessary documentation regarding the unpaid wages, the ITF submitted a claim to the vessel’s P&I Club, seeking payment for up to four months of outstanding wages for each affected seafarer in accordance with the MLC 2006, as amended.
However, the P&I Club has declined to cover four months of wages for the seafarers who had been repatriated by the shipowner, despite the fact that their period of seagoing service was covered by the financial security system provided by the P&I Club.
In light of the above, we would kindly request your advice and interpretation regarding owing issues under the Convention:
1. If the P&I Club informed the Flag State on 25.02.2025 that the validity of the financial security applies until 31.01.2025, is it possible for this to be applied retroactively in any case?
2. Does a seafarer who has not received wages for their work and was disembarked before the arrival of the ITF inspector on board have the right to claim wage compensation from the P&I Club, provided that the period of employment in question was covered by the insurance policy?
3. We also have cases involving seafarers whose wages have been withheld for 15 days in one month and for 25 days in the subsequent month. Can they claim the unpaid wages from the P&I Club as two separate months, or should the unpaid days be aggregated, resulting in a total of 40 days of unpaid wages, which does not exceed two months?
4. Finally, a group of seafarers was disembarked shortly before the declaration of abandonment and subsequently re-embarked on the vessel Golden Horizon. Consequently, they have outstanding debts under two separate contracts. How should this matter be addressed in accordance with the applicable procedures?
We look forward to your guidance on these matters and appreciate your prompt attention to this issue.
19 January 2025: International Maritime Organisation
The insurer is the Shipowners’ Mutual P & I Association (Luxembourg).