Win More Shipping has filed documents charging that Mardep’s failure to demand the return of the 11,253 dwt Hong Kong-flagged product tanker Lighthouse Winmore was illegal. Win More further alleged that Mardep had also failed to write to the UN to ask for the ship’s release, even though the company had explained that it was innocent.
The firm said in its filing that South Korean authorities were willing to release the ship “if the (UN) committee decides, on a case-by-case basis and upon the request of the flag state, that adequate arrangements have been made to prevent the vessel contributing to future violations”.
The action appears to have been prompted by the fact that HKSR was planning to de-register the vessel by August 22, which would have left it at the mercy of authorities in South Korea, where it has been detained at the port of Yeosu since December 2017.
Win More claimed that Mardep planned to deregister its vessel because Bureau Veritas had withdrawn its class certification, which the company added, the classification society in turn had done because it feared the allegations against Win More would hurt its reputation and business.
Read More: HK-flagged vessel’s owners deny knowledge of activities with North Korea
The 2014-built vessel was seized and inspected by South Korean authorities on November 24, when it returned to the port of Yeosu after returning from a voyage it was supposed to have made to Taiwan, for allegedly transferring 600 tonnes of refined petroleum products to North Korean vessel Sam Jong 2 in international waters in the Yellow Sea in late October. It was officially seized after the passing of new UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea on December 22.
Nothing had been heard of the plight of the crew or the fate of the ship till this latest action that seems to have been taken out of desperation to find some resolution to the dire situation.
It has since emerged, through the details of the writ, that since the tanker was detained, Win More’s suppliers in South Korea had refused to send food for the 25 crew on board, the vessel has not had maintenance work done and insurers have ceased coverage.
Ship registry sources told Seatrade Maritime News that while flag states would ordinarily do their utmost to help owners solve any problems at port, they are not obliged to do so, and in this case, where international sanctions have allegedly been contravened, the HKSR probably would have good reason to want to distance itself from the vessel concerned and indeed seek to get her off its registry.
On the fate and repatriation of the crew, the source added that the International Group of P&I clubs is believed to have stepped in to help and is hopefully working on getting the crew home soon.
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