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Abandoned ship sold after four years in Motril

The company Medway Marine LTD, has acquired the abandoned 'Zapolyarye' in the port of Motril, after presenting the best offer of the four that attended. The British shipping company has paid 5,5 million Euros for the vessel, which puts an end to almost four years of trouble, generated by the bankruptcy of its former owner. The 'Zapolyarye' had arrived at the port of Motril on Sep 19, 2018, uner tow after running out of fuel amidst its voyage after the owner went bankrupt. The ship was left abandoned in the port. The last crew members left the ship in June 2021 after living in precarious conditions, without electricity and without payment of their wages. The engine still was of very good quality, as well as its navigation equipment and communication systems. The double hull ship was built with special high resistance steels and was in good condition, so it will go to sea again once the commissioning tasks have been completed.

Auction to be finalized

The Motril Port Authority will meet the board of directors to finalize the abandonment file of the 'Zapolyarye' and draw up the specifications for the public auction. A dozen companies are interested in buying the ship which has been abandoned in the port of Motril with the crew on board for two years after the bankruptcy of the MSCO shipping company, the owner of the ship. The court authorized the sale of the ship in November 2019, however a judicial process - already resolved in favour of the port - paralyzed the auction of the freighter and, when the procedures to launch the tender could be resumed, the outbreak of the corona crisis delayed the procedure again. As of Oct 27, 2020 the date set for the council to meet, the specifications will be launched for companies opting to purchase the freighter, valued at 3.18 million Euros. A dozen of them have already been interested in the acquisition. The ship is kept with a minimum crew of seven Russian sailors, after some of the crew decided to abandon it. The shipping company delayed the payment of their wages and they remained in the dark for a long time. In the time the freighter has been docked at the dock, it has incurred a debt of more than one million Euros with the port. Once the ship is sold, the money will be used to defray the costs it has incurred for the port and the rest will become part of the public treasury. The shipping company will be in charge of repatriating the crew. At the moment, there were no claims from the maritime workers union, so the sailors were collecting their wages.

Cargo ship to be auctioned

The owner of the "Zapolyarye" owes money to the ports of Motril, Ceuta and other suppliers. Since the ship's entry into the port of Motril, he has not paid anything for port services, practical assistance nor towing and mooring services. The MSCO shipping company has also debts with the Port of Ceuta and with more suppliers. In fact, it has two embargo files by the courts of Granada. After waiting in vain that the shipment of salt that the "Zapolyarye" reached its recipients, one of its suppliers has made a complaint. On the part of the Port, the file of abandonment of the ship was being processed, which will end up with an auction file. The ship, which was valued at seven million Euros and its cargo with a value of 600,000 Euros, goes to auction and with the money the debt with the port that amounts to more than more than 600,000 Euros, 3,000 for each day, would be settled. The debts exceed the value of the ship. The initial hope of the crew was that the finances of the shipping company would be stabilized in order to continue the journey to Siberia and it would be able to charge for their services. The deadline for MSCO to take the ship has passed. The Port initiated the abandonment file in February. The resolution of this file aimed at the expropriation and sale of the ship which could take several years. On Sep 21, the immobilization of the ship was agreed upon after an inspection was carried out that verified the lack of statutory certificates. The complaint in the Commercial Court keeps the vessel double anchored to the dock.