M/V Aegean Princess
11 seafarers abandoned on the M/V Aegean Princess (IMO 8025862, flag Panama) in Ajman Port, United Arab Emirates, 29 March 2017. ILO case 272, status: Disputed.
- Status
- Disputed
- Abandonment ID
- 272
- IMO Number
- 8025862
- Flag
- Panama
- Port of Abandonment
- Ajman Port, United Arab Emirates
- Abandonment Date
- 29 March 2017
- Notification Date
- 12 April 2017
- Seafarers
- 11
- Reporting Org.
- International Transport Workers' Federation
Circumstances
Crew members unpaid for between 10 and 26 months. Owners are not responding to calls from crew. Limited food, water and bunkers is provided by the agent. One former crew member was sent home but without wages. Cargo remains on board, port state apparently taking no interest, problem seems to lie in a dispute between charterer and cargo owner. It is understood that the flag state has imposed a restriction order on the vessel and was to send an inspector to the vessel.
In view of the available information, the notification date has been set to 12 April 2017. (ILO, 8 April 2025)
Updates
20 March 2024: Panama
PMA imposed a documentary restriction over the vessel, which prevent the cancelation of the registry and the change of ownership in the registry.
The vessel was sanctioned through the Resolution No. 106-S-42-DGMM of June 19, 2017.
COMPLAINT CLOSED, as 11 crewmembers were duly repatriated on
January 26, 2018 (Expenses incurred by PMA for the total amount of USD$10,124.64). However, they are still pending salaries for the crewmembers.
We requested the ITF to update the information contained in the Database.
Through email date August 18, 2021. Information on the status of the claim for wages owed was requested from the ITF inspector.
We are waiting for an answer.
Through email date September 3, 2021. Reminder email was send to the ITF inspector who saw the complaint at the time.
Through email date September 6, 2021. We received a response from the ITF inspector who informed us that he was not aware of the crew payment.
Through email date February 17 2022. An email was sent to the owner requesting that we be updated on the status of the complaint.
31 December 2020: Panama
PMA imposed a documentary restriction over the vessel, which prevent the cancelation of the registry and the change of ownership in the registry.
The vessel was sanctioned through the Resolution No. 106-S-42-DGMM of June 19, 2017.
COMPLAINT CLOSED, as 11crewmembers were duly repatriated on January 26, 2018 (Expenses incurred by PMA for the total amount of USD$10,124.64).
However,they are still pending salaries for the crewmembers.
We requested the ITF to update the information contained in the Database.
29 January 2018: International Transport Workers' Federation
From: *****
Sent: 26 January 2018 16:00
To: *****
Subject: Media release: Seafarers finally return home after 17 months in Ajman, UAE
This release will go out this afternoon.
Best wishes,
*****
Seafarers finally return home after 17 months in Ajman, UAE
The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) is pleased to announce that the eleven crew of the Panamanian flagged 'Agean Princess' have finally been able to return home to India and Myanmar, after a dispute between their ships operator and owner saw them held in Ajman, United Arab Emirates, for 17 months. However, the crew are still owed hundreds of thousands of dollars of unpaid wages.
23 May 2017: International Transport Workers' Federation
Owner is trying to intervene in dispute between charterer and receiver. Flag is seeking local legal advice.
24 April 2017: Panama
Letter from Panama Maritime Authority to IMO
......
We were immediately in touch with our Diplomatic Representatives in the United Arab Emirates, who communicated us that five of the crew members had been repatriated, nevertheless 15 of them who remain on board demand the payment of approximately 12 months of salary.
........
We contacted the ship operator Mr *****, which was notified about the complaint field by the crew members in this Department, who answered us the intention to reach a settlement with the crew members, but the currently experience of liquidity problems, which does not let to defray the necessities and wages due of the seafarers.
The ship maintains a restriction interposed by the General Directorate of Merchant Marine of the Panama Maritime Authority, which does not let the change of ownership neither the cancelation of the registry, until the ship owner demonstrates the full compliance of their obligations. The crew members were informed that the PMA can proceed with their repatriation; but, they do not accept the abandonment of the ship until the completion of the salary payment.
....