Sam Eagle
20 seafarers abandoned on the Sam Eagle (IMO 9559676, flag Liberia) in CharlestonSouth CarolinaUSA, United States of America, 2 April 2020. ILO case 435, status: Resolved.
- Status
- Resolved
- Abandonment ID
- 435
- IMO Number
- 9559676
- Flag
- Liberia
- Port of Abandonment
- CharlestonSouth CarolinaUSA, United States of America
- Abandonment Date
- 2 April 2020
- Notification Date
- 28 April 2020
- Seafarers
- 20
- Reporting Org.
- Liberia - Liberian Registry
Circumstances
The Streamship Mutual P&I Club (20 Feb 2020 - 20 Feb 2021)
The crew members are reported to have not been paid since February 2020.
Updates
11 September 2020: Liberia
The vessel SAM EAGLE was sold to a new shipowner by virtue of a judicial sale, to which part of the proceeds where used to pay for the abandoned crew accounts, including repatriation. The vessel was renamed to LILA HOUSTON by her new owners, to which new set crew were engaged. I have attached a copy of the crew list of the abandoned crew, and also for the newly engaged crew. This Administration also conducted an audit and inspection of the LILA HOUSTON on early August 2020 to certify the vessel.
The SAM EAGLE was abandoned by her former owners, and was arrested under an order of a court on April 2020, and that P and I club took over the claim. However, the mortgagee bank took over the crew accounts, and maintenance following the arrest. On July 2020, the Administration received a communication from the lawyers representing the vessel/crew, that all pending crew claims were settled, including all crew wages are up to date. The judicial sale occurred on July15, 2020, and the buyer of the vessel already deposited payment, where the proceeds of the sale was used to settle the crew accounts, and repatriation. Although a claim under MLC, A/2.5.2 with the vessel’s P and I club under the former shipowner, as the banks took over the obligations for all crew accounts and maintenance, the insurers did not provided financial security assistance.
1 September 2020: Liberia
On 24 July 2020, the vessel was re-registered under a new shipowner and renamed as LILA HOUSTON. Seafarers were repatriated and replaced with new ones employed by the new shipowner.
The Administration (Liberian Registry) reported the case as resolved.
27 July 2020: Liberia
On 17 July 2020 by virtue of an order from an arresting Court, a judicial sale of the vessel occurred, with new shipowner taking over the possession, with seafarers wages paid as proceeds to the sale. Seafarer repatriation arrangements delayed due to COVID-19, but will proceed as soon as a new crew are in place.
27 July 2020: Philippines
We have coordinated with the insurer on the status of the payment of wages and repatriation of the Filipino seafarers. However, we have not received any feedback as to date.
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) of the Republic of the Philippines respectfully requests IMO to bring this concrern to the Government of the Republic of Liberia.