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MS Melenia - - 28 February 2025 -  resolved 

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MS Melenia
 resolved 
01263
9302023
Crude Oil Tanker
Aruba Anchorage, Aruba, Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
Unknown

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28 February 2025
7 March 2025
International Transport Workers' Federation
25
Georgia (21); Ukraine (4)

Circumstances

Fuel ran out on the vessel on 31st January 2025. They have no air conditioning, refrigeration or lighting. The latter means that that they have no navigation lights. Food is sparse and they need fresh water.

Seafarers applied to insurer?: No
Insurance certificate dates: N/A

Case details

March 2025: Provisions provided
(From alternate permanent representative to the IMO for the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Upon an aid request by the crew the Dutch Caribbean Coastguard (DCCG), in consultation with the crisis organisation Aruba (CMO), provided the captain with food and water from a humanitarian point of view in the first weekend of March.
7 March 2025: Other
Contacted owners, port state and local chandlers and bunkering companies
7 March 2025: Repatriation pending

14 April 2025: Other
13 crew members repatriated, 10 more pending.
7 March 2025: Other
Outstanding wages:
None

14 April 2025: Payment Pending
Wages are still unpaid

15 June 2025: Paid

Comments and observations

15 June 2025: International Transport Workers' Federation
The crew have reported that they have received their final wages in full.
This case has been resolved.


14 April 2025: International Transport Workers' Federation
13 crew members repatriated, 10 more pending. Wages are still unpaid.
This case is now remarked as "disputed".


25 March 2025: Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
(From the Venezuelan Aquatic Authority)
Information about: "BT MS MELENIA" which is currently located in the anchorage area of Puerto de las Piedras, Punto Fijo, Falcón State in Venezuela.
We provide accurate and up-to-date information on the situation of this vessel.

The "BT MS MELENIA", flagged to Djibouti and IMO 9302023, arrived in Las Piedras on March 18, 2025, from the jurisdictional waters of Aruba and the SAR area of Venezuela.
Their arrival came in circumstances in which the Venezuelan Coast Guard Command was already preparing to deal with the situation, due to reports from the IMO/ITF and the Aruba Maritime Transport Unit about an alleged abandonment of the ship by its owner.

1. *NAME:* MS MELENIA
2. *Tipo:* VLCC Well Tank
3. *IMO* 9308023
4. *MMSI* 621819085
5. *Bandera:* Djibouti, (Ateopia)
6. *REGISTRATION PORT:* DJIBOUTi
7.*INSPECTION:* STS AMUAY ZONE
8.*DATE:* 18/03/2025
9. *START/ END TIME* 21:08/23:05
10.*CONSIGNEE:* NONE
11. *ARMADOR:* TEMPEST SHIPP, HOLDING
12. *LAST PORT:* CURAÇAO, ANT. DUTCH
13. *LAST ERP,* I DO NOT PRESENT
14. *NEXT PORT:* TO BE CONFIRMED
15.*AGENCY:* OCTOPUS
16.*OBSERVATION* THE VESSEL PRESENTED DOCUMENTARY DEFICIENCY SEVERAL EXPIRED CERTIFICATES
17.* ACTING AUTHORITIES:* ANTI-DRUGS, PERSONNEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY OF THE FALCÓN STATE
18. *VISITOR INEA:* 000000 000000

At the time of its arrival, it was found that the vessel presented the following conditions:
• Two (02) crew members with medical problems. (Acute enterocolitis)
• Lack of fuel.
• Other shortages, including lack of water and food.
• Previously, a NAVTEX (Aruba Coast Guard) alert had been issued due to its inability to comply with the requirements of the SOLAS Convention (command, communication, AIS and lights).

Actions Taken by Venezuelan Authorities: A legal visit was made to the ship.
• The Port Captaincy receives the request from the OCTUPUS shipping agency to attend to the ship and coordination between the agency and the shipowner is maintained.
• Two crew members requiring medical attention were cleared to disembark, and were treated at a clinic, and were medically discharged on March 21, 2025, are in custody at a local hotel.
• The report of the Falcón Regional Epidemiology Directorate was received, which included fumigation recommendations and the fumigation of the ship and the landing of non-hazardous solid waste were authorized.
• As the preventive quarantine has already been lifted, the inspection of the port will proceed
• The shipment of provisions and drinking water was authorized, once the fumigation was completed.
• Fuel (bunker) was supplied.
• The corresponding Administrative Procedure has been opened.

The Venezuelan Aquatic Authority wishes to reaffirm its commitment to the well-being of seafarers and compliance with international regulations.
The competent authorities will continue to monitor the situation of the vessel "MELENIA" and ensure that the necessary assistance is provided.


19 March 2025: Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
(From the MOC Dutch Caribbean Coastguard)
Be advised that MS MELANIA sailed (towed) yesterday to Amuay (North of Punto Fijo) and is anchored there.


19 March 2025: International Maritime Organisation
Please find herewith a attached a message that IMO received from Ms. Stefanie Saval Cavalli, Panama Maritime Authority, concerning the Crude Oil Tanker ‘MS MELENIA’, IMO Number 9302023, flag on IMO GISIS up to 1 January 2025: Panama, thereafter on IMO GISIS: UNKNOWN, having on board 21 seafarers from Georgia (21) and Ukraine (4) who were abandoned at Aruba Anchorage, Aruba, Netherlands (Kingdom of the) which apparently is in the SAR area of Venezuela (Bolivian Republic of,) on 28 February 2025. Reportedly, fuel ran out on the vessel on 31 January 2025. They have no air conditioning, refrigeration or lighting. The latter means that that they have no navigation lights. Food was sparse and they also needed fresh water, while several of the crew are unwell and in need of urgent medical attention The insurer is UNKNOWN. The same vessel was also notified last year on 3 March 2024, and again on 8 November 2024.

The received information is duly noted and will be recorded on the joint IMO/ILO database on abandonment of seafarers.

Regarding the information that the vessel “MS MELENIA” was cancelled from the Panama Registry on 27 December 2024, it is perhaps helpful to clarify that from the date of the deletion in the registry of nationality of ships the flag State is not further responsible to effectively exercise its jurisdiction and control in the sense of UNCLOS article 94. However, this may be without prejudice to responsibilities and obligations that were already vested before the deletion, as is the case with many flag State obligations concerning abandonment as in the MLC, 2006.

As per my previous message of 18 March 2025, I herewith would like to reiterate my request to the IMO focal points of Venezuela (Bolivian Republic of,) to provide for further information on their actions, as appropriate, to procure a swift resolution of this severe abandonment case.


19 March 2025: Panama
(From the Panama Maritime Authority)
Please be informed that the vessel “MS MELENIA” was cancelled from Panama Registry, through the Resolution 106-CA-263-DGGM of December 27, 2024, so Panama lost his exclusive jurisdiction over such vessel, as per Article 91 and 92 of UNCLOS.


18 March 2025: Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
(From alternate permanent representative to the IMO for the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

As alternate permanent representative to the IMO for the Kingdom of the Netherlands and personally included in your email below I would like to inform you of the following information that we have received and the action that we have taken within our responsibilities laid down within our Kingdom.

As regards that, please note that the MS Melenia is located in Kingdom waters hence actually within the SAR area of Venezuela (referencing to the picture), therefore RCC Venezuela is the first point of contact for matters related to the MS Melenia. And as far as our information reaches, the RCC of Venezuela actually took its role as coordinator. JRCC Curacao is in contact with RCC La Guairá.

Under coordination of RCC La Guairá, food supplies were provided and this weekend two paramedics were send together with medicines for the crew.

Upon an aid request by the crew the Dutch Caribbean Coastguard (DCCG), in consultation with the crisis organisation Aruba (CMO), provided the captain with food and water from a humanitarian point of view in the first weekend of March.

Following our responsibility for the waters of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the MSI coordinator of the Dutch Caribbean Coastguard sent out a NAVTEX message about the MS Melenia not able to adhere to SOLAS requirements (Not under command, AIS, communication, navigation lights) per Friday 15 March 2025.

We also received the following information, which might be helpful:

- The embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ethiopia had contact with the ship registry of Djibouti and got the confirmation that the MS Melenia is not registered in Djibouti and therefore it has a false Djibouti flag.
- The incident coordination organization of Aruba received a message that Rose Shipping would send two tugs to tow the vessel to Venezuela.

I hope I have given you enough information and if I get any new information I will send it to you.


15 March 2025: International Maritime Organisation
Flag on IMO GISIS up to 1 January 2025: Panama, thereafter UNKNOWN.

The latest information, received from ITF today 15 March 2025, is that the shipowners have repeatedly promised to repatriate the crew from Venezuela and Curacao, but nothing has materialized. Given the lack of fuel and food, ITF is concerned about the developing situation and the welfare of the crew on board. ITF has now received notification that several of the crew are unwell and in need of urgent medical attention.


7 March 2025: International Transport Workers' Federation
The vessel and the owners are sanctioned