Aizdihar
26 seafarers abandoned on the Aizdihar (IMO 8906846, flag Saint Kitts and Nevis) in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, 28 February 2020. ILO case 470, status: Disputed.
- Status
- Disputed
- Abandonment ID
- 470
- IMO Number
- 8906846
- Flag
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Port of Abandonment
- Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Abandonment Date
- 28 February 2020
- Notification Date
- 20 October 2020
- Seafarers
- 26
- Reporting Org.
- International Transport Workers' Federation
Circumstances
Many of the crew have expired contracts and up to 6 months beyond expiry.
Some crew have now been paid and repatriated, but around 18 still remain.
They are experiencing lack of provisions.
It appears that the flag has been recently changed from ST.Kitts.
Updates
7 March 2023: International Transport Workers' Federation
The owners paid only US$3,000 of the agreed US$60,000 that the seafarer was going to receive after disembarking. The seafarer is unwell, he had surgery and remains under medical supervision
25 July 2022: International Transport Workers' Federation
After 28 months on board, the Chief Engineer was repatriated on 26th June 2022. He has received part of his outstanding wages, with written promise that the rest will be paid in the next 2 and 4 months.
10 February 2022: International Transport Workers' Federation
Vessel has been arrested, although it has not been confirmed to us by whom.
The managers INZU Ship Charter LLC have been fined 30,000 AED for failing to comply with an order from the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure to pay the outstanding wages and repatriate the crew. The vessel has also been banned from UAE waters for 3 months once the vessel leaves Dubai.
5 March 2021: International Transport Workers' Federation
The vessel is currently in the port of Bandar Abbas in Iran. The owners have paid outstanding wages of $USD 197,987 and repatriated 12 crew. The remaining crew report a lack of food, water, provisions and inhumane living conditions. These crew are owed 11 months wages.
2 March 2021: United Arab Emirates
From Federal Maritime Authority
Please note the vessel in not abandoned in UAE, but she is abandoned in her current port outside UAE.
Reporting a case of abandonment on a port then sailing and trading to other ports, does not mean the case is attached to the first port or country of reporting.
Checking the vessel movements in the last year, she was not in Sharjah or in the Gulf area in February as its mentioned, she has first entered the gulf area in May, while her movement previously was outside the Gulf area with switched off AIS , she turned her AIS on shortly in April when approaching KFK port in Gulf of Oman.
The vessel stopped at the anchorage in Sharjah in May, and the reporting may be made about their case, but the vessel was trading later in the gulf area before heading to IRAN.
27 February 2021: Other
From Master
I, Ajmal Khan, Master of Motor Vessel Aizdihar would like to bring in your kind knowledge that since 19th of Oct. 2020, our vessel is at Bandar Abbas port/anchorage. Due some port dues and expenditures, dispute is going on between Agent & our Owner. Because of this reason, local agent tactfully & by deceiving, took our passports, seamen books & vessel’s certificates. He told that port authority will just check & return back to the vessel. But, he took everything to Tehran office & intimidating for not returning back to the vessel. He is creating hurdles in everything, such as for supplying fresh water, diesel & provision etc.
We are total 19 crew including Master from different nationalities, as per attached crew list. Most of the crew contract is already over(some more than a year), they have serious domestic issues, but because of not having passports & seamen book, unable to sign-off. I request several time for returning back theses documents but failed. Despite my explanation that vessel is here & let due crew to sign off. By cheating, deceiving, he is claiming a huge unnecessary charges from the owner.
I am writing this request on behalf of all crew for help. Pls. Help us to get back our passports & seamen book from Agent, those who are due for sign-off, are in a terrible condition & have serious problem at home. Agent is not considering us as a human being & because of this act, he is trying to black mail the Owner for high refund. Crew has to do nothing with this dispute. Agent wants to create panic on the ship so that crew should get fed up & fight with each other or suicide. Even in this modern era, he considers us slaves & mentally torturing. Pls. Strictly warned him for returning back of these individual Govt. Property, he do not have any right for keeping them & not returning back. Now we are at B. Abbas anchorage & fifth month is going at B. Abbas.
Some of the crew’s close family members died & they can not sign-off. I am holding Sea Ocean Queen Shipping entirely responsible for this barbaric act & also for if some crew sucide.
28 January 2021: International Transport Workers' Federation
No further update. This case is still ongoing.
4 December 2020: Saint Kitts and Nevis
The Permanent Mission has the honour to share the following concerns of the St. Kitts and Nevis International Ship Registry (SKANREG) that:
1) progress is being impeded by the lack of up-to-date information on the precise identity of the seafarers;
2) on the evening of Wednesday 25th November 2020, SKANREG was informed that 12 of the 26 crew members listed as abandoned by the IMO, has actually been repatriated since August, while the vessel was in the UAE
3) to date, the slow response and the absence of accurate information, in a timely manner, from the ITF, as evidenced in 2 above, continues to hinder the prompt resolution of this matter.
The Permanent Mission wishes to reiterate the commitment of SKANREG in diligently bringing this matter to a close and wishes to highlight further that:
1) the SKANREG is fully committeed to resolving the seafarers abandonment case, in respect of claims made while the MV AIZDIHAR was registered as a Saint Kitts and Nevis flagged vessel and acknowledges its obligations under the MLC.
2) SKANREG requests that all information be provided within a reasonable timeframe, noting that request have been made on two previous occasions for the details of the 26 claimants in order to cross reference with information of those repatriated and those who may still be onboard.
3) commercial matters, in respect of a mortage is outstanding, for the vessel to be officailly removed from the Register.
4) having regard for the June 12th expiry of registration, the vessel is no longer considered a St. Kitts and Nevis registered vessel; and
5) the Registry looks forward to and encourage all concerned to work collaboratively to resolve any and all relevant outstanding matters.
3 December 2020: International Transport Workers' Federation
The vessel was detained by PSC in Bandar Abbas, Iran in mid-October because of a number of deficiencies including wages.
When we reported the vessel as abandoned we were informed that there were 26 seafarers on board.
There are currently 23 seafarers on board comprising of Pakistan (2), India (10), Bangladesh (7) and Syria (4) according to the latest crew list.
12 crew were paid and repatriated in the UAE and replaced by 10 new crew, and one more was repatriated in Bandar Abbas.
There are outstanding wages for every crew member ranging from 2 to 12 months and totalling more than US$195,000. The 2nd Officer has stated that he has been paid 80% of his outstanding wages but it still waiting for the remaining 20% and repatriation. If the Indian RPS agents are claiming that the outstanding wages have been paid we would welcome copies of the receipts as the crew as adamant they have not been paid.
The crew it seems have also been trying to get fresh water delivered to the vessel.
2 December 2020: India
From Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
I am directed to refer to your email dated 28.10.2020 informing that the vessel AIZDIHAR (lMo No. 8906846) is abandoned in Shariah, UAE since 28.02.2020 having onboard 26 seafarers (10 from Bangladesh, l0 from India, 03 from Pakistan,02 from Egypt and 0l from Syria).
2. In this connection it is stated that on examining the database of this Directorate it is observed that there is a discrepancy in the number of Indian seafarers on board the above vessel. There are a total of 2l Indian Seafarers (as per list attached) engaged by 4 Recruitment and Placement of Seafarers Licensed agents and not l0 Indian seafarers as reported in your e-mail.
3. Further, the matter was immediately taken up with the concerned Indian Recruitment and Placement of Seafarer (RPS) Service. It is informed to this Directorate by them that the vessel is not in a state of abandonment and is trading and presently the vessel is discharging cargo at the port of Bandar Abbas, Iran and is expected to reach Dubai in the next 15-20 days. It is also informed by the RPS that the crew have received their wages and they have no grievances regarding non payment of wages by the RPS Companies.
4. ln view of the foregoing it is requested that factual status in the matter may be got confirmed from the source of the complaint and communicated to this office.
1 November 2020: Bangladesh
We have communicated with our relevant office in Abu Dhabi regarding this matter.
29 October 2020: Saint Kitts and Nevis
From the owner of the vessel
1. The vessel is no longer under St Kitts Flag and was transferred to another Flag (Tanzania) and Class
back in August 2020 and this information needs to be updated at your end;
2. The vessel was sold (via share transfer) to another shareholders group who took over the vessel and
believe they have not allocated the shares in their name as yet;
3. There was a crew problem which had emulated into crew wages pile up and the vessel was not in
Sharjah in Feb at all. The vessel discharged her cargo in Iraq back in July and was enroute to Karachi to
load cargo, however, crew stopped the vessel and brought it into Sharjah anchorage back in late August.
The vessel was then brought into Dubai anchorage for crew changes etc which was successfully
completed for crew change for crew whose contracts were over;
4. At present we have only 1 crew who is creating problem and is planned for sign off at vessels current
port and other than that crew change has already been completed;
28 October 2020: Saint Kitts and Nevis
The contents are noted and have been relayed to the owner of the vessel and we have requested to receive an update as a matter of priority.
27 October 2020: Saint Kitts and Nevis
The registration of the subject vessel has expired with effect of 12 June 2020. No application has been made by the registered owners of the vessel to renew. Nevertheless, we will assist in any way possible to resolve without our means the situation. We will pass on the below notification to our regional office in Dubai for their actions in contacting the registered owners for prompt actions.