Reviews & Ratings for the Ling-Dao

The freighter 'New Orion' is currently anchored in Jiangyin on the Yangtze River, having been detained for failing to settle repair bills. The vessel has been at the Jiangyin repair yard from January 8 to 12, 2020, with its owner, Vercania Holdings Ltd., neglecting to compensate the Chinese repair firm for the work done. Aboard the ship are 22 Ukrainian crew members and one Russian, who find themselves in a precarious situation. Although the ship has enough fuel to last for 14 days and is equipped with heating, lighting, and a functioning galley, reports indicate that the crew has not received their wages for four months. They expressed feelings of abandonment by their employer, facing an alarming shortage of provisions, with only seven days’ worth of supplies remaining. As of January 12, the 'New Orion' was moored near Changzhou at position 31° 56.95' N 120° 7.03' E and has remained stationary up to January 18, leaving uncertainty about the ship's future and when it might be able to depart Jiangyin.

On November 21, 2019, the vessel 'New Orion' was detained in Malaysia's territorial waters off the eastern shores of Johor. The ship, manned by a crew of 22 Ukrainian nationals, faced detention due to its unauthorized anchoring, which contravened maritime navigation regulations. Following the incident, the crew engaged with their consul to discuss the necessary steps and actions moving forward.

Human Rights at Sea (HRAS) confirmed on July 22, 2017, the successful repatriation of the crew members from the 'Liberty Prrudencia'. Their long-awaited wages were finally disbursed, thanks to the dedicated efforts of HRAS, the International Transport Workers Federation, the Indian Consulate, and the ship's management team. These seafarers had been trapped on the vessel in Zhoushan since 2016. The situation first came to light in February when advocates for seafarers raised concerns about the crew's dire circumstances. On March 10, HRAS released a comprehensive case study that delved into the human cost of abandonment at sea, followed by an opinion piece in April that further emphasized the issue. The 'Liberty Prrudencia', previously owned by a Mumbai firm until late 2016, changed hands to a Hong Kong owner in January, who reverted her name back to 'New Orion'. As of July 23, the ship remained anchored off the coast of Zhoushan.