Med Sea Lion
12 seafarers abandoned on the Med Sea Lion (IMO 9350331, flag Saint Kitts and Nevis) in Freetown, Sierra Leone, 27 June 2023. ILO case 772, status: Resolved.
- Status
- Resolved
- Abandonment ID
- 772
- IMO Number
- 9350331
- Flag
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Port of Abandonment
- Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Abandonment Date
- 27 June 2023
- Notification Date
- 10 July 2023
- Seafarers
- 12
- Reporting Org.
- International Transport Workers' Federation
Circumstances
Three months salaries (April, May and June) are not paid
Updates
24 October 2023: International Transport Workers' Federation
Crew have been repatriated and have received their outstanding wages.
28 July 2023: Guyana
•The vessel in question is a Bulk Carrier, registered under the flag of St. Kitts and Nevis, bearing IMO number 9350331. During the time of engagement with the Maritime Administration Department (MARD), the owner of the vessel was listed as Sea Lion Shipping Company from Istanbul/Turkey.
•MARAD through the Registrar of Seafarers along with two Inspectors visited the MV MED SEA- LION, which was located alongside the Guyana National Shipping Corporation (GNSC) Wharf. The Seafarers indicated that their wages were outstanding and most of them were working without valid contracts. The Master of the vessel also indicated that he was in recent communication with the owners who had promised to have the outstanding balances and repatriation information for each crew member available by Monday, February 20h, 2023.
•At the time of visit (February 17th, 2023), there was no food nor water onboard the vessel. The crew mentioned that they had also reached out to the local agents, GNSC Shipping, for assistance in this regard and they communicated that they were unable to assist. MARAD was informed by a representative of GNSC, that indeed there was a delay in the supply of goods.
•Subsequently, the officers of MARAD purchased groceries totaling the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($150,000.00) for crew members.
•An account of this visit was also be submitted to the Authorities of the St. Kitts and Nevis Flag on March 30th, 2023 (who were already contacted via email regarding the situation on February 17th, 2023).
•The vessel's crew list was submitted to Guyana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 20th, 2023, for their assistance in the repatriation process.
•Efforts to contact the owners via telephone were futile at that time. An email was sent on February 22nd 2023. Subsequently, the owners communicated via email on February 24th, 2023 their intention for repatriation of the Seafarers.
•After weeks of engagement with the owners, local agents and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all twelve(12) crew members were finally departed on April 17th, 2023 for their home country.
10 July 2023: International Transport Workers' Federation
This vessel has already been reported with respect to the former crew