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Melilli[Inactive]

IMO8501634


Abandonment ID: 00228
Ship name:Melilli[Inactive]
Flag:Panama
7-digit IMO no.:8501634
Port of abandonment:Lagos, Nigeria
Abandonment date:8 July 2015
Notification date:14 July 2015
Reporting Member Govt. or Org.:ITF
No. of Seafarers:21
Nationalities:Benin(4); Ghana(4); Bangladesh(5); Philippines(8)
Circumstances:Vessel apparently detained and arrested four months ago due to alleged trading in black oil. Half of the crewmembers are on board, and other half are detained ashore.
Crew members on board are not receiving any provisions.
Presently, the vessel is anchored out with no Deck Officers or Engine Officers on board as they are imprisoned.
Actions taken:Other
There was an attempt to contact the owner / operator (apparently it's Margotasa International copr., Greece), but no response. Currently, local investigation is underway.
Repatriation status:Repatriation pending
10 are in jail shore and the remaining 11 are on board.
Payment status:Payment Pending
No wages have been paid to the crew members since they joined the vessel.
Comments and Observations:ITF (15 May 2017)
Crew ended up in prison accused of oil theft. Bangladeshi crew managed to raise money to pay their way out, Filipinos still in prison in Nigeria.


ITF (7 December 2017)
Hearing 06/12/17 for filipinos in Nigeria


Govt. of Panama (31 December 2020)
PMA imposed a documentary restriction over the vessel, which prevent the cancelation of the registry and the change of ownership in the registry.
We have lost contact with the crewmembers since June 2016.
We requested the ITF to updated the information contained in the Database.

Govt. of Panama (14 July 2021)
From Panama Maritime Authority
Through email dated May 20, 2021 and June 30, 2021, we requested the ITF to updated the information contained in the Database.

Govt. of Panama (13 August 2021)
From Panama Maritime Authority
We would like to inform you that through Email dated July 26, 2021, this administration received from ITF the following:
“The court procedures were in regards to the vessel being involved in illegal activities.(between the Nigeria Authorities and against the vessel and crew members as the owner disappear) There was no claim lodge in regards in regards to recovering crew wages. We believe that the crew members have all been return back to their countries”.

ITF (26 September 2021)
From Finlay McIntosh, Inspectorate Coordination Supervisor
We confirm we no longer working on this case and have closed it. So if the Panama Flag Registry are no longer working on this also, then it’s up to them consider the case as inactive.

ITF
Crew members were advised to make contact with their relevant Embassy / Consulates.

Govt. of Panama
Panama Maritime Administration informed that;

They have been in contact with the managers of the vessel, Throne Shipping S.A. The managers have informed that the crew wages of June have been affected by the crisis in Greece, where banks have been closed for the past fifteen days, also only bank transactions have not been permitted during this period. The company has assured that they are working towards meeting the repatriation schedule and meeting the MLC requirements.

They also has requested the owners/managers to present an action plan in order to address the outstanding issues highlighted by the Gov't of New Zealand. In addition, Panama Authority has imposed a restriction on the vessel within the registry in order to avoid sale or transfer of flag until all deficiencies have been dealt with.

They have received a statement from Throne Shipping S.A. confirming the following; the Company has not abandoned the vessel, the Company has sent provisions to the vessel, the crews wages are still being affected by the bank restrictions in Greece.

 
Last updated: Friday - 7 January 2022 at 12:03:05^ top


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