The Shipping News

On a rusting Turkish tanker called Rhone off the Spanish north African port of Ceuta this week, 15 stranded seafarers desperately want to go home. Abandoned by their employer, they are owed three months' salary and have no money to get back to their families. After two weeks, they are low on food and water.

They have been reduced to begging for help to survive.

I learned about this ship from my good friend Jose Manuel Ortega, an inspector with the International Transport Workers Federation. He is based in Algeciras now, but I first met him years ago when he was working in La Coruña. He helped me with a story I was working on, introducing me to the widow and the brother of two Spanish sailors who died on a rustbucket called the Kristal. William Langewiesche later wrote about the case of the Kristal in for an article in The Atlantic (later published in his book, The Lawless Sea). Jose is dealing with the Turkish crew now, fighting on their behalf and doing whatever he can to get them home. "These men just want the money they are owed and to return home," he told me. He is tenacious in his work and I know they are in good hands.

The men on the Rhone are among hundreds of mariners around the world who have been forsaken by ship owners who cannot afford to stay in business. In Ceuta, the Turkish owner, Ortak Denizcilik Sanayi, ditched the vessel when Spanish port inspectors said it was structurally unsound and detained it. To repair it was too expensive, particularly at a time when business was bad.

This is the bottom end of the shipping industry, but these 15 seafarers are not alone. The economic downturn has hit the maritime sector hard and there are crews in similar situations in ports around the globe. Many find themselves in even more precarious circumstances.

Take the case of the St Vincent & Grenadines-flagged cargo ship Virtus. This ship arrived at La Coruña on 11th June this year after experiencing mechanical problems en route to the Persian Gulf with cargo on board. Due to financial problems, it is still there. The ITF got involved on 7th of July, when a first visit by ITF inspector Luz Baz established that the 12 Russian and Ukrainian crew members were without provisions and about to run out of water and fuel. The crew made a claim for unpaid wages up to 15th of August of US$ 65,515.00.

"We contacted Sierra Maritime, the Estonian shipowner, and discovered that they were declaring bankruptcy, but after negotiations they agreed to send some money for food via the local agent, Finisterre AM," Ms Baz said. "But as the agent was also owed money they arrested the payment themselves."

She continued: "After that we had to fall back on local resources. Thankfully the Spanish Red Cross and several local NGOs are supporting the crew for now, while the port is supplying fresh water and electricity."

For many shipowners who cannot find work and are facing financial ruin, the simplest option is often to turn their backs on their vessels and the men on board.

According to the ITF, at least 370 seafarers have faced abandonment so far this year. Of those, about 200 are still stuck on board their vessels surviving on the goodwill of port officials and local charities.

The real situation is probably be far worse however, because many ships are lying idle, manned by skeleton crews while they wait for work. For many of those crews, the situation is little better than for those who are abandoned.

"We knew this rise would be coming and first put our inspectors on standby for it last year, but that doesn't make it any less serious," said ITF Maritime Coordinator Steve Cotton.

"I repeat the offer I made in February: any shipping company or financial institution with a maritime client having difficulties - in particular financial problems which are likely to adversely effect crews, can come to us to discuss how we may be able to help."

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Photo by Brian Reyes

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