The Kotor: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) has officially registered an abandonment case involving the vessel KOTOR (IMO: 9575981). Flying the flag of Montenegro, KOTOR is currently docked at Tyne, UK. Key details about this situation include: - Number of Crewmembers: 16 - Nationalities of Crew: Georgia and Montenegro - Date of ITF Report: August 20, 2025 - Current Case Status: Open As the ITF diligently tracks cases of crew abandonment globally, this instance emphasizes ongoing issues faced by seafarers. The specifics concerning overdue wages remain unspecified as the situation develops.

The bulk carrier 'Kotor' has been detained in the port of Tyne since completing its unloading of wood pellets on August 6, 2025. The detention was ordered following an extensive inspection by British Port State Control (PSC) inspectors, who identified 22 deficiencies aboard the vessel that must be addressed before it can set sail again. The inspection, conducted on August 4, revealed numerous issues, primarily stemming from what appeared to be a lack of motivation among the crew, which has been attributed to delayed salary payments by the struggling shipping company Crnogorska plovidba. The company has faced severe financial challenges, including insolvency issues that have lingered for months. Among the reported deficiencies were: corroded fire pipes, damaged electrical insulation, non-operational fire detection equipment in various compartments, leaks from hydraulic systems, and a porous exhaust system on one of the auxiliary engines. Furthermore, inspectors found that the living and working conditions aboard the 'Kotor' did not comply with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), noting the absence of running hot water in several crew quarters and that two crew members had exceeded the maximum permitted duration of embarkation, having been on board continuously since July 22, 2024. Crew complaints cited chronic delays in salary payments, with their last full salary received for June, following a previous detention in Savannah, where salaries had been inconsistently paid since December 2024. The PSC inspectors' findings echoed those of U.S. Coast Guard inspectors who had previously assessed the ship in Savannah. They highlighted a poor implementation of the International Safety Management Convention (ISM), giving Crnogorska plovidba a three-month window to rectify the noted issues. In a subsequent development, Crnogorska plovidba announced the decision to list both the 'Kotor' and another vessel, 'Dvadesetprvi maj', for sale amid claims from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs that the state could no longer legally assist the company financially. As a result, the 'Kotor' will remain in detention until its deficiencies are resolved or a sale is finalized. The vessel had arrived in Tyne on August 3, after spending some time in Savannah from June 14 to July 13.