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Last remaining crew repatriated

The eight crew members who remained aboard the 'Severnaya Zemlya' in Aviles were repatriated to Russia on Feb 13, 2020, ending a stay in port that began in May 2018, when an embargo on the shipowner's accounts blocked the departure from the port. Repatriation has been done in a phased manner. The first six crew left the ship on Feb 6. The shipowner assumed the expenses of the return, although he has not yet paid the salaries owed. Meanwhile, the Port Authority finalized an urgent contracting to be able to assume the management of the ship once it is left without crew and continues studying the future of the ship. Spanish report with photo: https://www.elcomercio.es/aviles/tripulacion-severnaya-zemlya-20200213000840-ntvo.html?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

Bulkcarrier still detained three months after arrival in port

On Aug 23 it was three months agon since the Commercial Court of Gijón issued a detention order on the "Severnaya Zemlya" following a complaint for non-payment of a fuel supply in Gibraltar amounting to about 200,000 Euros made by a law firm in Málaga. The Maritime Captaincy had received the order of detention on May 23, five days after it arrived at port from Riga and when it had already unloaded at the dock of Raices the 15,760 tons of coal. Later it was transferred to the dock of Valliniello for reasons of port operability. Since then little has changed, except that the debt grew at the rate of 1,260 Euros per day in terms of port taxes. In total it amounts to 315,000 Euros without the rates of pilotage and towing. The ship remained moored at the dock of Valliniello, without consignee and waiting for the creditor and the shipowner, the Russian company Murmansk Shipping, to reach an agreement. The crew of 21 remained on board, although it has been partially exchanged in recent weeks and at least for the moment did not require external assistance, having money to buy supplies, and their basic needs were covered. The ITF maintained telephone contact with the crew. The ship has also received water as well as the fuel needed to keep the auxiliary engine running and thus guarantee the power supply. This was interpreted as a sign that the vessel has not been abandoned by the shipowner, since it has to be paid in advance. The former consignee said that the company and the creditor maintained contacts and is moderately confident that the long wait for the "Severnaya Zemlya" may come to an end in September. However, it was not the only ship of the Murmansk Shipping in such a situation. The "Zapolyarye", a practically twin ship, remained anchored since July 28 in Ceuta waters due to a dispute between the crew and the shipowner due to unpaid wages. Loaded with salt to Britain, its situation was even worse. Apart from the fact that it was not in port but anchored, the Red Cross has already had to intervene, although in recent days the shipowner has supplied the 20 crew members with food and drinking water. He has also taken charge of repatriating six sailors whose contracts had expired and replacing them with five other. The liquidity problems may have been the result of the heavy investments made in recent years in the purchase or construction of ships. Spanish report with photo: https://www.elcomercio.es/aviles/buque-severnaya-zemlya-20180823000851-ntvo.html

Bulkcarrier arrested in Aviles

The "Severnaya Zemlya", which arrived at Aviles on May 23, 2018, has been subject to a commercial arrest by the mercantile court in respect of allegedly unpaid bunkers, as well as outstanding debts. By June 15, the ship was still in port. On May 18, the ship had arrived off the port loaded with 15,000 tons of coal that it unloaded at the Raíces dock. During this time the Maritime Captaincy of Avilés was notified about an order of seizure related to outstanding debts of the owner, the Murmansk Sg Co. The origin of this debt has not transcended, but it had to do with local companies. The resolution of the case could occur during the next week. The Port Authority of Avilés meanwhile requested the captain to change the berth so as not to affect the other operations of loading and unloading in the dock of Raíces. The ship thereupon crossed the estuary and docked at the dock of Valliniello, a less congested area of maritime traffic. The consignee of the company who initially represented the interests of the owner in Aviles, and who resigned from that role when things went wrong stated the crew of 20 was in good condition and had resources to stock up on supplies and necessary equipment for life on board. The ship does not appear in the "black lists" of the international maritime organizations and it was unlikely the owner company was going to abandon the ship. Spanish report with photo: http://www.lne.es/aviles/2018/06/14/barco-ruso-lleva-28-dias/2303011.html