Working Conditions Aboard the Milagro

The situation aboard the 'Marin' continues to deteriorate as over 350 tons of decomposed rice husk remain stranded in the cargo hold. The Las Palmas Port Authority recently declared that the process to offload this rotten cargo has been canceled after not a single company expressed interest in the task. On December 3, Port Authority President Juan José Cardona officially halted the bid process, which kicked off on October 8 and saw its publication on November 8. The deadline for bids came and went on November 28 without any proposals emerging. Now, the Ports of Las Palmas must initiate a new procedure to empty the vessel, a necessary step before the authority can auction the space currently occupied by the 'Marin' at the Reina Sofia Suroeste dock, where it has been since June 2017. The troubled ship arrived in Gran Canaria in a dire state, lacking fuel and provisions for its crew, many of whom had gone unpaid for months. Inspectors from the Government of the Canary Islands quickly assessed the situation, noting significant moisture levels in the cargo. The pungent odor emanating from the hold was accompanied by a concerning white mold covering the load, along with signs of plant growth. Due to the lack of documentation verifying the rice husk's origin, the product was deemed unfit for consumption—typically, this material is intended for livestock feed. The absence of traceability documents renders the cargo dangerous and incompatible with import regulations. As of now, the Las Palmas Port Authority is exploring alternative solutions to manage the cargo and ultimately clear the docking area occupied by the 'Marin'. Visit the Spanish report for more visuals and in-depth updates: https://www.laprovincia.es/las-palmas/2018/12/07/nadie-quiere-descargar-arroz-podrido/1125300.html

The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) is taking action to repatriate nine crew members from the 'Marin', a ship that was abandoned by its owner after docking at the Port of La Luz, Las Palmas, on June 8, 2017. The crew, made up of Croatian, Ukrainian, and Montenegrin nationals, had reached out to the ITF for assistance after going unpaid for five months. Their situation became critical on the day they arrived in port when they sent a distress signal to Salvamento Marítimo, indicating dangerously low fuel levels and dwindling supplies of food and water. Following this distress call, the vessel was promptly brought to the Port of La Luz, where the nine sailors received immediate support. ITF Inspector Gonzalo Galán coordinated with the Stella Maris association and the Port Authority of Las Palmas, ensuring that the crew's basic needs were met during their ordeal. Efforts to engage the shipowner proved futile, as he has shown no accountability and lacks a consignee for the 'Marin'. On June 12, the Maritime Captaincy of Las Palmas detained the vessel due to violations of the 2006 Maritime Labour Convention and the crew's detailed claims regarding their abandonment. Recognizing the severity of the situation, the ITF has initiated procedures to recover the unpaid wages owed to the crew and to arrange their safe return home.