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Crew on strike, Lanka Mahapola stuck in Mombasa port
View(s):Vessel’s lessee says all dues will be settled when ship docks in Colombo
By Leon Berenger
The debt-ridden Lanka Mahapola is in limbo in an African port with the crew refusing to work in protest over the alleged non-payment of wages for the past five months, a senior maritime trade union official said yesterday. The vessel with a 20-member all Sri Lankan crew is presently in anchorage in the Mombasa Port in Kenya and unable to budge with all hands on board on an apparent strike, Ranjan Perera, with the National Union of Seafarers Sri Lanka (NUSS) told the Sunday Times.
The latest stand-off between the crew and the ship’s handling company comes barely six months after the vessel was stranded at a South African port for nearly four months after it was arrested following a complaint made by the crew that the seamen had not been paid for several months.
The maritime authorities in South Africa also discovered that the vessel was sailing without proper documents among other irregularities and the ship was refused permission to leave the port until the shortcomings were rectified, Mr. Perera said. He added that the vessel later left South Africa and sailed to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania before heading later for Kenya.
According to Mr. Perera the crew had already complained to the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) in London. The ITF for part has instructed its representative in Mombasa to board the vessel and make a first hand inspection. He said that the families of the 20-member crew have been forced to live it up rough as there was a zero remittance from the men on board the vessel and several reminders to the management of Triple.S. Shipping had fallen on deaf ears.
In addition the shipping company also owes the state millions of rupees in rental fees. The vessel was leased from the Ceylon Shipping Corporation (CSC) some two years ago but since then to date the company has failed to make any payments, Mr. Perera added. A top official with the CSC told the Sunday Times that Triple.S. Company owes the Corporation an estimated Rs. 70 million ever since the vessel was leased in June 2011 and that legal action has been instituted to obtain these monies.
“We have taken this matter and other issues as well regarding the company to courts, including reports that it had pulled down the national flag and was currently sailing under Tanzanian colours. This is a serious issue and we are treating the matter with utmost seriousness”, the official who did not wish to be named said.
Meanwhile Dr. S. Senerath, Chairman of Triple. S. Company told the Sunday Times that the vessel had made him bankrupt since he had to spend some US$ two million to maintain the ship since it was leased from the CSC. He said that there was an issue in paying the current crew but their wages will be settled at the earliest.
The vessel is expected to take a load of cargo and head to Colombo at the earliest. Once this is done the wages of the crew will be paid in full. “This is my responsibility and I will carry it out to the very end”, Dr Senarath added. “There has never been any design on my side to defraud the crew or anyone,” he added.
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