East Wind I
22 seafarers abandoned on the East Wind I (IMO 9278973, flag Panama) in Berbera, Somalia, 1 February 2025. ILO case 1250, status: Resolved.
- Status
- Resolved
- Abandonment ID
- 1250
- IMO Number
- 9278973
- Flag
- Panama
- Port of Abandonment
- Berbera, Somalia
- Abandonment Date
- 1 February 2025
- Notification Date
- 27 February 2025
- Seafarers
- 22
- Reporting Org.
- International Transport Workers' Federation
Circumstances
Outstanding wages of 2 months, lack of food
Seafarers applied to insurer?: No
Insurance certificate dates: N/A
Updates
5 May 2026: International Transport Workers' Federation
Crew paid their remaining wages and replaced with new crew.
Resolved.
2 September 2025: Panama
In response to the labour complaint filed against the vessel “EAST WIND 1”, with [MO number 9278973, you will find the latest communications:
By email dated April 23, 2025. PMA sent a second communication addressed to shipowners, operators, and/or local resident agents, communicating the labour complaint filed against the vessel and requesting the measures adopted to correct such deficiencies.
By email dated April 24, 2025, we received information from the P&I that they are awaiting a response regarding the crew information from the shipowner.
By email dated April 28, 2025, we received information from the P&I agent, including the following requests:
- Please also clarify:
- Has the third crew member, who changed their mind and remained on board, been paid their wages?
- Do you know when the other crew member will visit the shipowner's office?
- Once this is done, the MS Amlin can send both payment confirmations together to the Flag State of Panama.
By email dated May 9, we received information from the P&I agent confirming and evidencing full payment compliance
By email dated May 9, 2025, we received information from the ITF informing the shipowner that, given the situation, a payment voucher must be submitted to vessels that have been in service since January to change their status to RESOLVED.
By email dated May 27, 2025 (P&I agent). The requested evidence has been sent to the ITF.
By email dated May 30, 2025 (P&I agent), informed us that they are fully comply with MLC and they paying all crew in monthly bases and all crew having wage’s statement in monthly bases and they have the right to withdraw in cash and send it to home. Moreover, inform us that they have send you documents proof of same since January up to date.
By email dated June 9, 2025, the P&I agent informed the ITF of the following:
"Based on what we have send you of prove documents that we are follow up roles and regulation of ILO and MLC, we request you to cancel the abandonment which is in the system. Note that all what was requested for the Company to do has been done, and there are no reason to keep the vessel as abandonment, all documents signed by the crew which was settled was sent to you by the accounting department.”
By email dated June 9, 2025, the ITF responds as follows:
“We inform you that we need proof of payment for May's salaries, as per the message we sent you last week, so we can assess the current situation”.
June 18, 2025. PMA received evidence of payment of the outstanding wages from the resident agent.
PMA sent a second email with the evidence provided to the ITF for verification and confirmation.
PMA received the payment voucher for June 2025 from the resident agent and sent it to the ITF for verification and confirmation
By email dated August 1, 2025, the ITF responds as follows:
“After having checked the documents, you shared with us with the recent ones we did obtain from the Owners mainly the updated Crew List, we draw your attention to the following:
The allotments written in Arabic are unreadable and unclear, so we need their translation in English, which is a requirement to be met particularly for the evidence of payment of wages subject to verification. We need to see the amount paid, the date and place of payment, the name of the person who did perceive the allotment and the name and rank of the seafarer on behalf of whom, he/she took the money. On top of that, the wiper ****** has his contract expired one month ago on 26 June 2025 and he did spend more than 12 months onboard which is a serious breach, confirming the ABANDONED — STATUS, of the Standard 2.5.1 2.(b) the maximum duration of service periods on board following which a seafarer is entitled to repatriation — such periods to be less than 12 months; Therefore, we insist to have the English Translation of each allotment from the months of February up to date, meaning the month of July, like the attached sample here for each Seafarer, and we require also the Financial security certificate as per Standard A2.5.2 with the evidence of repatriation of the Wiper *****, and last but not least the Cash To Master of July. Please find attached here, the updated Crew List. Hope the above explanation will assist you to understand the seriousness of the violations, the Shipowners are perpetrating, which obliges us to not close this file.”
14 April 2025: International Transport Workers' Federation
4 crew members were repatriated without being paid.
This case is now remarked as "disputed".
27 February 2025: International Transport Workers' Federation
It appears that all the crew are owed 2 months wages, but do not want to complain