Bulkers Stuck at Ports for Months Because of Tensions Between China and Australia, While Crew Members Issue Public Cry for Help

Bulkers Stuck at Ports for Months Because of Tensions Between China and Australia, While Crew Members Issue Public Cry for Help
26/11/2020 https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/bulkers-stuck-at-ports-for-months-b...

Tensions between China and Australia have added another headache for ship owners, as crew changes have been impacted by this factor as well, in a year when COVID-19 has already wreaked havoc to the global supply chain, leaving many crew members stranded on board for more than a year.

Yesterday, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide (www.hellenicshippingnews.com), received a letter by the crew from the bulker MV Knightship. It was a cry for help and an attempt by the crew to go public with the problems they’ve been facing. While we don’t usually publish such letters, we decided to make an exception in this instance, while we’d like to state that for legal reasons, we don’t necessarily adopt or agree with the statements or views expressed in the letter. The views expressed in the letter are the property of those who sent it to us.

Below, you may find the full letter, as it was sent to Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide:.

Dear Sirs/Madams,

We are crew of MV Knightship (IMO:9507893) now in a terrible situation, because we cannot do anything.

Our vessel is loaded with Australian coal and stuck at Jingtang, China anchorage. It’s been like this for five months already because of political conflict between China and Australia.

The crew on board have fully expired contracts, mental health in critical stance, our families without us more than 1 year. We cannot help and support them physically.

No one can give us clear information when the vessel finally discharges.

Our shipowner cannot do anything because the Charterers (ST Shipping and Transport Pte. Ltd. Singapore/Glencore International Ag Zug) and cargo owners don’t permit the movement of the vessel to the nearest other country port for a crew change.

The crew on board is like political hostages and slaves owned by charter and cargo owners. This is a violation of human rights. We are humans and have rights for our freedom.

The Chinese government is not against vessel departure from anchorage for a crew change. Still, the commercial question between charters and cargo owners is rising because they don’t want to spend money. People have to stay on board unknown duration of time and wait until the vessel is finally discharged! On this anchorage, in the same situation stuck around 22 vessels with Australian coal. Crew’s duration of contracts on these vessels is from 1 year up to 20 months! People cannot wait anymore and cannot keep silent. We are not slaves and hostages!”

Crew of MV Knightship