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Stranded Crew of Indian Bulker Finally Repatriated

prrud
Image courtesy Human Rights at Sea

Published Jul 23, 2017 3:55 PM by The Maritime Executive

Human Rights at Sea (HRAS) announced Saturday that all of the former crew of the bulker Liberty Prrudencia (sic) are being repatriated. In addition, their wages have been finally paid after HRAS, the International Transport Workers Federation, the Indian Consulate and ship managers intervened. The men had been stranded aboard the ship at the port of Zhoushan, China since late last year.

Seafarers’ advocates were first alerted to the plight of the Prrudencia’s crew in February. On March 10, Human Rights at Sea published a detailed investigative case study about the case highlighting the human impact of abandonment, followed by an op-ed piece published in April.

On Saturday, the charity and other organisations received a thank-you letter from the crew, reproduced in an abbreviated form below. [The grammar and spelling used in the letter remain unaltered here, in accordance with editorial policy.]

"Dear ,SIR / MAM

Good day Warm greetings. Hoping you all doing well . We all feeling glad to inform you that , we get fruitful result of our all the hard work and fights for crew rights ( wages and sign off )

With the help of all , helping authority ( ITF / HUMAN RIGHTS AT SEA /ARCTIC OFFSHORE - Malaxar shipping/ INDIAN CONSULATE / ISWAN) ,16  crew Member of Liberty Prrudencia get paid and repatriate as per our agreement  after 8 months of struggle , tension , depression & false obligations.  . . . 

Owners sell the ship , to clear libailties on vessel ( crew wages , repatriation & others ) This all happens due to the strong and early step & action taken by crew and helping authority ( ITF / HUMAN RIGHTS AT SEA / ARCTIC OFFSHORE / ISWAN / INDIAN CONSULATE ) against odd & in human practices. In presence of (ITF / ISWAN / HUMAN RIGHTS AT SEA / INDIAN CONSULATE ) We seafarer feel safe and secure , thier strong support acts like a backbone for us . . . .

BEST REGARDS

CREW LIBERTY PRUDENCENICA"

Equasis records show that the Prrudencia was owned by a firm in Mumbai until the end of 2016. She was sold to a Hong Kong-based shipowner in January and her original name, New Orion, was restored at the time of sale. As of Sunday she was still at anchor off Zhoushan.