An employee of maritime security company Alphard Maritime has occupied another vessel in a wage protest — a month after seizing control of an Eagle Bulk Shipping bulker.
The Ukrainian national boarded the 600-dwt floating armoury Golden Palm (built 1978) in the southern Red Sea over the weekend.
Media reports had referred to a hostage-taking situation on the vessel, but its operator — Spain's Palm Charters — said this was not correct.
A spokesman told TradeWinds that Alphard uses its ship for storage, and that the man entered the armoury because it is usual for Alphard staff to do so.
Talks with Alphard
The spokesman said the guard then conducted phone calls with Alphard to demand back wages, and filmed himself throwing their "equipment" overboard.
The nature of the kit lost is confidential, he added.
"There was never a hostage situation," he said. "It is a peaceful protest and there is no conflict. Our captain has stayed back from the situation, which is between the man and Alphard."
Talks are taking place to remove the guard from the ship and repatriate him. Alphard is trying to involve the authorities, the spokesman said.
There are 14 crew members and 98 other people on board the vessel. There have been no injuries, nor any damage to the Golden Palm.
Alphard was not responding to phone calls in India, Singapore or Dubai on Monday, but it has been emailed for comment.
The same man hit the headlines earlier in August when he seized control of an Eagle Bulk Shipping vessel for three days, before surrendering to authorities.
The New York-listed shipping company said the guard was involved in a pay dispute with his employer that had no relation to Eagle Bulk nor V.Ships, the vessel's crewing manager.
That incident aboard the 52,400-dwt supramax Jaeger (built 2004) began on 21 July in the Indian Ocean as the vessel was bound for the Red Sea.
Did not surrender weapon
The guard was one of three security guards to board the vessel to transit a high-risk area, as has been the practice for more than a decade, Eagle Bulk said.
"Once on board, one of the guards did not surrender his weapon to the vessel's captain as is normal protocol and then took control, and deviated the ship from its course as he voiced his grievances and demanded compensation," the shipowner said.
"While the guard discharged his weapon on board the vessel, at no time did he directly threaten or harm any of the crew members."
The guard indicated he had not been paid by his employer for several months. The other two guards did not take part.
