Eight seafarers from an X-Press Feeders containership that sank off Sri Lanka remain in the country, stuck in limbo for more than six months.
With the exception of the master, none of the other detained crew from the 2,743-teu X-Press Pearl (built 2021) has been charged with any wrongdoing — but, at the same time, they have been forbidden to leave.
Their captivity at the hands of the Sri Lankan authorities remains ongoing despite the vessel's insurers having reached an agreement with local authorities over the costs of the environmental clean-up, and a contractor shortlisted to remove the wreck.
Their detention highlights the lack of any compassion towards seafarers by numerous jurisdictions around the world, with no thought given to how prolonged investigations or vessel arrests may impact their ability to earn an income and support their families.
Although the 25 seafarers who formed the X-Press Pearl's crew were safely evacuated from their ship when it caught fire, they were detained by Sri Lankan authorities after the fire and subsequent partial sinking of the vessel caused widespread pollution along the coastline.
The vessel's master was later charged with committing offences under Sri Lanka's Marine Pollution Prevention Act.
The rest of the crew was told to stay put, ostensibly to help with investigations.
Several were allowed to return home at various intervals after July, but the ship's master, the chief engineer, two chief officers, the electrical officer, second officer, third officer and an able bodied seaman remain in the country.
The master is out on bail, staying with the rest of the crew at a hotel on the company's expense.
Despite being told that they are being held to assist investigations, the lack of any requests for additional information or statements from the Sri Lankan Criminal Investigation Department over the past several months has led them to believe that investigations may already have been completed.
Despite repeated calls, TradeWinds was unable to reach that police department to ascertain whether any investigations were still ongoing.
With X-Press Feeders unable to get any official answer as to what still needs to be investigated, the seafarers have contacted the International Transport Workers' Federation, and are receiving support from the Mission to Seafarers. They have also reached out to their local embassies.
X-Press Feeders told TradeWinds that the company is doing its best to support the crew, keeping in regular contact, as well as pressing the flag state and other relevant authorities to help.
Captain R Minhas, managing director of Eastaway Shipping, X-Press Feeders' affiliated shipowning and ship-management company, said: "We feel really sorry for the crew and are deeply concerned about their mental and physical well-being.
They've suffered the trauma and stress of the fire onboard with explosions, and endured several months in a state of complete uncertainty on when they can go home.
"When you consider their contracted time aboard [the] X-Press Pearl before the fire, some have now been away from their families for more than nine months, and it's taking a massive toll on their mental health.
"Our thoughts are also with their families, who are struggling without the presence and support of a husband, father or even son. The uncertainty for families on when they will see their loved ones again is a heavy burden to bear."
Wreck removal timeline
As its crew wait to go home, the X-Press Pearl remains sat partially submerged on the seabed off the Sri Lankan coast, with salvage company Resolve Marine appointed as caretakers of the vessel.
A survey of containers around the wreck that will need recovering has been carried out, and a debris-removal contract for removal of these containers was signed with Resolve Marine on 27 October.
The wreck-removal contract for the vessel is yet to be announced, although TradeWinds was told that the London P&I Club has finalised the contractor and the agreement is close to being signed.
Work to remove the wreck will begin in November at the conclusion of the monsoon season.
London P&I has already reached an agreement on costs for the large-scale environmental cleanup that was required to remove the billions of tiny plastic pellets, known as nurdles, and other pollutants that affected more than 150 km (81 nautical miles) of Sri Lanka's coastline.
The payout will be made once the insurers receive the appropriate paperwork from the relevant authorities in Sri Lanka.
