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Trapiche Emerald - Liberia - 31 December 2024 -  resolved 

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Trapiche Emerald
 resolved 
01185
Liberia: flag image Liberia
9554597
Diving Support Vessel
Valletta, Malta
Shipowners

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31 December 2024
3 January 2025
International Transport Workers' Federation
31
Croatia (2); Egypt (1); Indonesia (16); Lithuania (1); Malaysia (1); Mexico (2); Russian Federation (5); Singapore (1); South Africa (2)

Circumstances

Two months unpaid wages

Seafarers applied to insurer?: Yes
Insurance certificate dates: 11th October 2024 to 11th October 2025

Case details

2 January 2025: Flag State informed
Contacted the company, flag state, port state and p&i
3 January 2025: Repatriation pending

5 February 2025: Repatriated
All impacted crew have been paid their outstanding wages and repatriated (in two batches on January 29 and February 5)
3 January 2025: Payment Pending
Outstanding wages: US$296,013

20 February 2025: Paid
The seafarers have received their outstanding wages.

Case details

3 January 2025: International Transport Workers' Federation
The company is experiencing lack of funds due to non-payments by charterers.

8 January 2025: International Maritime Organisation
The insurer is the Shipowners’ Mutual P & I Association (Luxembourg)

29 January 2025: Mexico
(From the Permanent Mission of Mexico in Geneva)

In the case of the vessel Trapiche Emerald (IMO number 9554597), with the flag of Liberia, which is in Malta, whose 31 crew members, from various countries, including two Mexicans, were abandoned in the port of Valletta, Malta, since December 2024, the Mexican Embassy in London reports they have received information from the 1st engineer of the Mexican merchant marine, currently on board the DSV Trapiche Emerald in the port of Valletta, Malta, who reports that the crew is facing serious problems due to non-payment of wages since November 2024. He explains that, since the beginning of his contract on September 22, 2024, salary delays began, and as of January 15, 2025, after more than two months without payment, the ship was classified as abandoned. This situation triggers the liability of the ship's insurance company, Ship Owners, which must cover the wages owed and the costs of repatriation. Although the process was initiated with the support of the ITF and its inspector and the local insurance representative in Malta, the funds necessary to cover the wages have not yet been released, despite promises of transfer from the insurance headquarters in the United Kingdom the previous week. As he mentions, the delay in the release of funds has generated uncertainty among the crew, who distrust the management of the shipowner, suspecting that they are interfering in the process with false promises of payment. He points out that the next key meeting is scheduled for January 29, when lawyers, insurance representatives and the ITF inspector will board the vessel to sign the release letters necessary to move forward in the process. However, the delegation expresses concern about the lack of concrete action and requests support so that the P & I insurance company can fulfil its responsibilities quickly and effectively, ensuring the well-being of the crew.

14 February 2025: Liberia
(From the Liberian Registry)
Please be advised of the following as per the vessels’ MLC financial security provider/s:

TRAPICHE EMERALD: “All impacted crew have been paid their outstanding wages and repatriated (in two batches on January 29 and February 5)… The matter is close to be concluded regarding the impacted crew.

20 February 2025: International Transport Workers' Federation
The seafarers have received their outstanding wages.
This case has been resolved.