Protests over unpaid wages and the alleged imprisonment of a crew member on a Panthalassa Maritime panamax are said to have been resolved. But bankers have won a Hong Kong court order to auction the ship.
The 75,000-dwt Angelic Glory (built 2002) was arrested on 14 September by the Royal Bank of Scotland, or its successors in a mortgage, and an auction order is understood to have been issued.
Its Hudong Zhonghua-built sistership, the 75,700-dwt Angelic Power (built 2002), has been idle at the same anchorage in Hong Kong for over four months.
Greek-based Panthalassa Maritime Corp has full technical and commercial management of both ships.
Panthalassa is controlled by Greek shipowner Markos John Lemos. TradeWinds reported in August that the company had taken them over in a split from family shipping company Diamlemos, a former affiliate of now-defunct Diamantis Lemos Ltd. Greek-based Panthalassa Maritime Corp has full technical and commercial management of both ships.
TradeWinds was unable to reach Panthalassa by telephone or email for comment.
"We have also had some difficulties to communicate with them," said Marcello Pica, chief executive of Marine Partners Monaco, which has been providing crewing for both ships.
Problem solving
Pica said the Angelic Glory's crew problems have been difficult to handle but indicates that his company has offered to pay outstanding wages. Most of the seafarers are home safe while he negotiates with Hong Kong authorities to send the others home.
The Angelic Power arrived in ballast in mid-July at the South Lamma Anchorage, where the Angelic Glory joined it in August with a problematic grain cargo and a crew that was growing impatient to be paid off and go home.
"To our understanding, events of default have arisen under the facility agreement. Since then our crew of 16 Filipinos had a tough experience," said Pica.
He told TradeWinds that it has repatriated 10 of 16 Filipino unlicensed crew members and is negotiating with Hong Kong maritime authorities to get the remaining six on the ship replaced.
"A vessel at anchor cannot be left without crew on board but we are discussing with the port authority to take over the ship with its own Chinese personnel," he said.
In October, the United Filipino Seafarers (UFS) union had protested the crew's conditions and the non-payment of three months' wages.
AIS records show that on top of the crew change difficulties that many ships face because of coronavirus restrictions, the Angelic Glory had been unable to call at port since loading a grain cargo at Cargill's Bahia Blanca terminal in May. Several attempts to call at Chinese discharge ports failed before the ship proceeded to Hong Kong, where it was eventually lightered at the anchorage.
Alleged arrest
During the long wait at anchor, the Angelic Glory's master Captain Konstantinos Triantis allegedly ordered one crew member handcuffed inside his cabin over an alleged violent dispute.
“[The chief cook] told me that the ship's captain ordered his arrest because he allegedly want to stab the chief engineer. However, this allegation has been denied by the crew in a letter which they signed," wrote UFS president Nelson Ramirez in an appeal to Philippine officials on the union's Facebook page.
At that time, the ratings also complained they had not been paid three months' wages and that mandatory allotments had not been remitted to their families in the Philippines.
Pica acknowledged to TradeWinds that there was "an intense dialogue" with Hong Kong and Philippine authorities, labour unions, embassies and lenders but now all but six are home in time to prepare for Christmas with their families.
Crew welfare
"Now our goal is to complete the rescue of the last six that so far the local authorities requested to stay on board as skeleton staff, although we believe we are well underway and close to completion," Pica said.
"We have offered to pay any salary left outstanding through our crew welfare fund. So far they have been paid up to October and these days [we are] finalising the November balance of wages."
Hong Kong brokers said demand among international owners is weak for the Hudong Zhonghua-built Angelic Glory or for its sistership if it follows to the auction block. But TradeWinds is aware of interest from Chinese shipowners.
