Crew of Grounded Bulker Running Out of Supplies

Crew of the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Adamastos that ran aground in August and is left stranded in Rio Grande, Brazil is running out of supplies and power, as reported by Brazilian Portos e Navios magazine.

The crew’s captain emailed the port authority last week saying that the crew is running out of supplies and that their power is scarce, the magazine reports.

Adamastos, loaded with a cargo of 50,000 tons of soybeans, ran aground in August while leaving the Port of Rio Grande Sul, bound for China.

The ship was refloated and inspected by port authorities who established that there were numerous irregularities on board including engine deficiencies, unpaid port charges and some other bills, totaling in USD 3 million.

It was decided to retain the vessel until further notice and the vessel has been at anchor 12 miles outside the port entrance since then, with the crew practically abandoned.

The crew is manned by 22 members from the Philippines, Greece, Georgia, Romania, Egypt, Ukraine and Indonesia.

Local authorities, including port officials and Labour Ministry are trying to resolve the situation and repatriate the crew. A delegation from the ministry visited the crew on Tuesday so as to determine the situation.

One of the potential solutions for the deadlock could be auctioning the vessel and/or its cargo, which is worth USD 18 million.

World Maritime News Staff; Image: Labour Ministry/Delegacia do Trabalho/Divulgação