ITF: Two stranded bulkers with 25 seafarers on board just a drop in the sea
ITF: Two stranded bulkers with 25 seafarers on board just a drop in the sea Two bulk carriers with at least 25 seafarers on board have been left to their own devices at anchor in the Port of Djibouti at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), the two ships have been arrested over unpaid debts and the ships have been at anchor for months pending resolution of court proceedings. The bulkers in question have been identified as M/V Arrybas and MV Ptolemeos, both flagged in Liberia. Greek shipping firm Probulk Shipping, owner of MV Ptolemeos, is being sued by Djibouti authorities for over $10 million in debts to banks and suppliers. The company has a history of bankruptcy and the two ships have already been embroiled in crew abandonment issues. However, as court proceedings might take months to be finalized, the union representatives are calling for the repatriation of the affected seafarers, as some of them have been denied...