A NewLead Holdings bulker arrested off the coast of Singapore has a new crew and is in limited operations with new insurers, despite the ship's safety management certificate being revoked after the vessel's original abandonment.
Sources familiar with the situation say 13 new seafarers have been deployed to the 75,966-dwt Newlead Victoria (built 2002) after the original crew abandoned the ship last week in a long simmering dispute over back wages.
The abandonment prompted the Liberian Registry to revoke the ship's safety management certificate (SMC). American Club also pulled the ship's P&I coverage due to concerns over safe manning levels.
Gard, which provides hull coverage, has not commented on whether it too revoked coverage, although some insurance brokers say that it may have been the case.
The ship is being covered by a type of limited coverage known as crew liability and port risk insurance, which allows the ship to operate near ports. The insurance is said to be provided by BankServe Insurance Services.
Despite efforts of the Malaysian Sheriff to return the crew to the vessel, the 16 seafarers refused, citing a lack of commitment that crew wages will be paid.
The Newlead Victoria faces three arrest warrants, with the largest claimant being the ship's mortgagee of record, Portigon. It has a $26m claim pending on the ship. Ningbo-based Better Marine and Singapore-based Western Standard also filed arrest warrants on the ship.
The ship's cargo of coal remains on board, but the charterer of the ship is said to be making arrangements to offload the cargo.
