Saudi Arabian Company Abandons Crew Across Multiple Vessels
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) said it has received many reports about withheld pay from individual seafarers working on eight Bahrain-registered vessels owned by Saudi Arabian company Hadi H Al Hamman Establishment. The company, which lists Saudi Aramco among its customers and was buying brand new ships as recently as 2018, has not paid seafarers for more than five months in some cases, the ITF said. One seafarer reported dangerously low levels of food…
Stena Bulk: Seized Tanker's Crew Safe
All 23 crew on a British oil tanker seized last week by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz are safe and well, the vessel's Swedish operator Stena Bulk said on Wednesday after speaking to them.The Stena Impero had been heading to a port in Saudi Arabia when it suddenly changed course after passing through the strait at the mouth of the Gulf and headed towards Iran, captured by Iran's Revolutionary Guards.Iran said on Saturday it had seized the Stena Impero because it had collided with a fishing boat. Stena Bulk said it had received no evidence of such a collision."We had direct contact with the crew on board the vessel last night by telephone and they're all okay and in good health and they're getting good cooperation with the Iranians on board…
EU NAVFOR Rescues Iranian Crew
On 19th March the EU NAVFOR Spanish warship Navarra was dispatched by the Force HQ (ITS ETNA) to assist an Iranian dhow that had sent out a distress call. The Iranian fishing dhow, named UAID 400, with 13 crewmembers, had suffered a pirate attack some days before and had been left without food, water or sufficient fuel to return to shore. After a high speed dash, the Navarra’s helicopter located the dhow early the following morning, 60 N Miles from its last known position. The crew were seen on deck waving their arms and making desperate signs for help as the helicopter approached them.
