Shipowners use armed guards to evacuate seafarers

Shipowners use armed guards to evacuate seafarers
March 16, 2022 https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/03/16/business/maritime/shipowners-use-...

SHIPOWNERS are taking extra efforts and paying hefty amounts to secure their seafarers trapped in the Black Sea because of the worsening war caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In the case of the 22 Filipino crew members of the oil tanker MTM Rio Grande that arrived on March 12, 2022, their principal had to employ private armed personnel to ensure their safe evacuation.

"We hired a private security group to escort them," Capt. Jose Remo Librodo, president of Next Wave Maritime Management Inc., the manning company of the 22 officers and crew of the Singapore-flagged oil tanker in the Black Sea.

The seafarers arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on March 12 and were given a warm welcome by Librodo himself and the Association of Licensed Manning Agencies (ALMA) Maritime Group President Cristina Garcia.

The 2012-built MTM Rio Grande arrived at Evpatoria port in the Black Sea on February 24, however, the port shut down on the same day after Russian forces started invading Ukraine

Recounting their harrowing experience, one of the crewmembers recalled their manning office and the principal ordered them to pull out, but the pilot had already abandoned the ship, hence it could no longer sail.

"Hindi sila makagalaw dahil sa mga mina (They couldn't move because of the mines)," Capt. Librodo said. They were stranded for the next two weeks. Uncertain when they could be evacuated, the crew have to cut down on the consumption of their provisions of water and food.

The crewmember said fear struck them, especially after they saw a missile hit a nearby ship, killing a Bangladeshi third engineer. They tried to contact their principal and manning office, appealing to facilitate their evacuation.

With the arrival of their armed security escorts, the Filipino crew were able to disembark and land in Palanca, a port between the borders of Romania and Moldova. Then they proceeded to Hungary, where their crewing company arranged a flight for them.

"Kinuha naming sila sa Hungary; ngayon nakauwi na sila sa kanilang pamilya (We picked them up from Hungary; now they are with their families)," Librodo said.

On the additional expenses that his principal had to incur for the safe evacuation of the seafarers, the Next Wave president commented on GMA News: "We don't care about the financial loss. I think it's a good investment for the company [na] nadala namin ang mga tao namin pauwi sa kanilang (that we were able to bring them home to their) families."

He said the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) would provide counseling services to his seafarers.

Librodo also made a firm commitment to transfer them immediately to other vessels. His crewing company is supplying officers and crew to over 60 various types of vessels.