Cargo Business Newswire

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Container ship crew stranded on the Delaware

A Greek-based cargo ship with 20 crewmembers on board has been anchored in the Delaware River for almost 16 weeks, caught in a predicament with the U.S. Coast Guard demanding operational repairs and an owner who has not paid bills since April.

The Nikol H needs more repairs before sailing, and the owners allegedly owe as much as $1.2 million, which has prompted vendors and others to sue to recover costs for providing fuel, food, and supplies while the ship has been here.

The visas of the crewmembers have expired, so they are not allowed to go ashore for recreation or shopping.

But several of the original sailors, whose contracts expired, were allowed by U.S. Customs to go home. New crewmembers replaced them.

The Seamen's Church Institute has provided the sailors with cellphones to call home, Internet service, and chaplain visits. The crew are getting paid and receive supplies from the ship agent, G.M. Richards Enterprises.

"Morale is OK," said Capt. Ali Affar, reached by telephone. "The crew are getting paid on time. Provisions are on time. We don't have any problems. We receive also fresh water supply.

The ordeal began April 11 when the Nikol H, owned by an operating company in Piraeus, Greece, unloaded 13,521 tons of cocoa beans at Pier 84 in South Philadelphia.

For more of the Military.com story: military.com

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