Mass detention of cruise ships for breaching MCA regulations

The Maritime and Coast Guard Agency has detained a number of Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) ships that are currently laid up in London Tilbury and Bristol Avonmouth.

The Astoria, Astor, Columbus, Vasco da Gama and Marco Polo cruise ships were detained due to issues relating to expired crew contracts and crew that had been aboard in some cases for over a year. The Magellan was also inspected and given 14 days to resolve a number of issues. 

“CMV has in the past and is continuing to work hard to cooperate fully with the Maritime and Coast Guard Agency and to rectify the crew contract issues which have largely contributed to the detention of five CMV ships,” Christian Verhounig, CEO told Cruise Industry News.

Indian politician Kshitiji Hitentra Thakur says about 600 Indian seafarers are stranded aboard the vessels, according to the Maritime Executive. Their repatriation arrangements have allegedly been frustrated by shifting Indian government policy regarding their permission to return, and they have remained on board for nearly 90 days.

Fifty members of the crew recently went on a work strike and stopped “performing routine maintenance on board,” to attract attention to their inability to fly home.

“We hope this issue has raised awareness of the plight of our crew with the various embassies and that they will now assist CMV with the repatriation of crew members,” Verhounig says. “We are confident that with the sudden increase in support and help we will be able to repatriate the remaining crew ideally before the end of the month. CMV apologises for any inconvenience or disruption that these issues may have caused for their highly valued crew.

“CMV has been in high level talks with the Indian High Commission to obtain special landing permits and other international governments, to help facilitate and expediate our crew’s safe return back home to their families.

“Our crew have endured a pro-longed period quarantined on board our ships during lockdown and are understandably anxious and distressed as a result. We fully sympathise with and understand our crew’s frustration and upset at being held under quarantine conditions onboard our ships due to the local restrictions imposed.”

“The MCA’s intervention exposes the shipping industry’s culture of abuse of seafarers’ rights, from the use of Flags of Convenience with no diplomatic influence and basic monthly wages as low as 200 Euros per month,” says RMT Assistant General Secretary, Mick Lynch. 

“The conditions imposed on seafarers as a consequence of Covid-19  should never be forgotten and RMT is working with the International Transport Workers’ Federation to end the appalling treatment of these key workers and other seafarers employed within the cruise ship sector around the UK Coast who may also be subject to similar concerns at this moment in time.”

The MCA detained Astoria at Tilbury last Thursday in order to ensure that the ship underwent an inspection. 

“The detention is a preventative measure in line with UK regulations, in order that a full inspection of the ship related to the maritime labour convention can be carried out before its intended departure. It cannot leave the port until the inspection is completed,” MCA said in a statement Friday. “Five other ships in the same [ship management] company – Global Cruise Lines Ltd – four others based at Tilbury and one at Bristol, are also being inspected. Acting as the port state control authority for the UK, the MCA has taken this action following a number of serious concerns which were raised about the welfare of the crew.”

Surveyors found a number of expired and invalid Seafarers Employment Agreements, late payment of wages and seafarers who had been on board for over 12 months. 

“All these are in breach of the Maritime Labour Convention and the ships have been detained for that reason,” MCA said. The Magellan – the sixth vessel MCA inspected – had no major identified deficiencies and was not detained. 

“The welfare of seafarers is of the utmost importance and we take any reports of safety concerns around crew incredibly seriously,” said UK Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps. “We will not hesitate to continue to use every power within our control to safeguard the health and happiness of every seafarer currently working in the UK.”

The ships will remain detained until the breaches are resolved and the agency is invited back to reinspect.