Read Authentic Ratings for the Strategic-Savannah

A federal court in Georgia is set to hold a crucial hearing on Monday that could ultimately shape the future of a bulk carrier that has been adrift off the Atlantic coast since April. The NewLead Castellano, which was transporting a substantial 24,000 metric tons of sugar from Singapore, was intercepted by U.S. Marshals en route to the Port of Savannah due to a maritime foreclosure involving the ship's Greece-based owner. This legal action, prompted by a mortgage default, has left the Liberian-flagged vessel stranded approximately three miles from Tybee Island, Georgia, for almost four months. The sugar cargo was unloaded weeks ago, resulting in a partial evacuation of the crew, with some Greek sailors managing to return home. However, the situation remains dire for the remaining seafarers—comprising 13 Filipino crew members, a Romanian electrician, and a Greek second engineer—who have found themselves stuck on the ship without the necessary visas to disembark in the U.S. During their prolonged stay, these crew members have resorted to various forms of entertainment, including playing cards, surfing the internet, and fishing. Meanwhile, essential provisions such as beef, lamb, ginger, celery, lemongrass, and cabbage have been delivered via launch boats to sustain them. In a show of compassion, a local Catholic priest has made visits to the vessel to offer confessions and conduct Mass for the crew, highlighting the human aspect of this maritime predicament.

The long-standing legal dispute surrounding the 'Newlead Castellano' and its crew is finally resolved. After nearly four months stranded off the coast of Georgia, the ship was sold at auction on August 8, 2016. The crisis began in mid-April when U.S. marshals seized the vessel as it arrived in Savannah to deliver a shipment of imported sugar. Creditors filed a lawsuit against the ship's owner, claiming debts of $7.1 million, prompting a judge to prohibit any activity with the ship as legal proceedings unfolded. This left the predominantly Filipino crew stuck aboard the ship without the necessary visas to disembark. With the auction complete, arrangements are now underway to repatriate the Filipino crew members.

SAVANNAH, Ga. — The crew members aboard the Newlead Castellano, a 590-foot cargo ship, find themselves in a precarious situation as they are stuck off the Georgia coast without pay for approximately two months. The vessel, which arrived in Savannah to unload a shipment of imported sugar, was seized by U.S. marshals due to a legal dispute involving the ship's owners and their creditors. Nearly four months have elapsed, leaving 15 crew members stranded just a few nautical miles from the picturesque beaches of Tybee Island, unable to disembark due to their foreign national status and limited visa conditions. Alan Swimmer, president of National Maritime Services and the court-appointed custodian responsible for the ship and its crew, remarked, "It's fairly calm, a little boring. There are some standard watches they have to perform, whether the ship is operating or not. So they're performing daily duties, probably doing a little bit of fishing in between." The crew, predominantly Filipino with a Greek engineer and a Romanian electrician, have been caught in the middle of an unfortunate legal tussle after the Newlead Castellano's owner, Greece's Newlead Holdings, fell behind on its loan payments. On April 19, four creditors, seeking repayment of $7.1 million, filed a suit in the U.S. District Court, leading to the judge's order for the vessel's seizure in Savannah. What was initially expected to be a brief delay has now turned into an extended and distressing wait on the high seas for the crew members.