Working Conditions Aboard the United-Venture

In a troubling maritime incident, four Aframax tankers operated by Venours Ships Management & Operations LLC, based in the UAE, have been marooned in the waters of Fujairah since June 2016. These vessels have become a distressing sight as their crews face dire circumstances after being effectively abandoned. Vital supplies, including food, medicine, and even life-saving equipment, have run out, and the lack of reliable power, largely due to insufficient fuel, has exacerbated the situation. Additionally, crew members have reported not receiving their wages for several months. The stranded vessels—namely, the "Beta", "City Elite", "Al Nouf", and "Laowadale"—have seen varied statuses in their AIS tracking. While the "Beta" and "City Elite" still transmit signals, the AIS on the "Al Nouf" went offline in May, and there are no updates available for the "Laowadale". The crew aboard these vessels, totaling 16 members, were recruited under a nine-month agreement with Abhay Shipping Pvt. Ltd., a crew manning agency based in Mumbai. They departed Mumbai for Dubai on June 8 and were later dispatched to Fujairah to board their respective ships. All four tankers are anchored closely together, further highlighting their isolation. Notably, Abhay Shipping Pvt. Ltd. does not possess the necessary licensing for crew management. In a desperate attempt to seek help and secure their unpaid wages, the crew of the "Beta" reached out to the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) last week. CP Singh, the second officer aboard the "Beta", is presently overseeing the operations on the vessel while remaining in contact with the manager, who has, until now, provided little assistance despite repeated assurances of impending help.

In a significant maritime transaction, a vessel has been successfully sold to clients affiliated with Thenamaris, a prominent shipping service provider based in Greece. The sale was finalized at an impressive price of $33 million, marking a notable moment in the shipping industry. This acquisition underscores Thenamaris's commitment to expanding its fleet and enhancing its operational capabilities in the competitive maritime sector.

In a significant maritime enforcement action, Singaporean authorities have taken control of a fuel oil tanker operated by the financially distressed FAL Oil Company. The seizure stems from FAL Oil's failure to settle a debt of approximately $3 million owed to Germany's DVB Bank. Industry insiders disclosed this development on Friday, July 20, 2012. Based in the United Arab Emirates, FAL Oil was placed on the U.S. blacklist in January due to its connections with Iran. The company now has until the end of next week to challenge the seizure and avert the transfer of the Khorfakkan tanker to DVB Bank. The operation, conducted by the Supreme Court Sheriff's Office in Singapore, occurred on July 18 and involved a tanker with a capacity of 105,000 deadweight tonnes. However, authorities permitted the discharge of its 80,000-tonne fuel oil cargo to ChinaOil, the trading division of PetroChina, according to a source familiar with the situation who requested anonymity. 'The tanker was seized due to an outstanding debt of $2.84 million that was originally due in late May,' the source explained.