Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA), the lead maritime government entity charged with regulating, coordinating and supervising the maritime sector in Dubai, has announced, together with the Dubai Port Police, that the successful repatriation of 21 crew members of the SAMHO JASPER, a Korean tanker that was idled in Dubai waters, was completed last week.
SAMHO JASPER, which has been renamed GOLDEN LAKE, is now out of Dubai waters. DMCA successfully coordinated with the Port Police, the Harbor Master’s office, Korean Consulate and the Korean owners and operators to safely manage the offshore situation and ensure a swift resolution of the outstanding issues.
The crew members, who were from Indonesia and Myanmar, had endured several months without pay and at times with limited supply of water and power, relying on DMCA and the Dubai government to intervene on their behalf with healthcare and logistics support. DMCA further confirmed that two other stranded tankers – SAMHO DREAM and SAMHO CROWN, which are also owned by the same Korean shipping company – are being monitored and remain in a warm lay up status.
SAMHO Shipping had filed for bankruptcy in Korea and is now emerging from the reorganization. SAMHO representatives flew into Dubai this past week from Korea to meet with DMCA to discuss how best to reactivate the tankers and resolve all outstanding issues.
DMCA with the support of the DM government successfully negotiated with the concerned parties to ensure that the crew members were properly compensated for back pay before they were repatriated, while also ensuring payment to local service providers.
DMCA successfully facilitated negotiations with the parties involved that allowed the maritime authority to work out a solution without having to resort to litigation that could potentially take years to resolve. The successful resolution of this matter underlines the commitment of Dubai Government to protect the interest of stakeholders in the maritime sector and to support the sustainable growth of the industry.
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Source: DMCA, August 23, 2011