Human Rights at Sea has been given a formal letter dated 31 March 2020 from the Master of the Marshall Islands flagged vessel, the MV Tomini Destiny, signed by all crew members, raising serious concerns regarding their asserted hazardous offloading operations at Chittagong, Bangladesh, and a lack of COVID-19 screening of stevedores, and adequate protection for the crew.
The concerns first raised internally to the Owners and Charterers focused on the continuation of vessel offload operations without sufficient safeguards in place for the crew, with correct and not sub-standard PPE, and the ability to limit external persons coming onboard during the discharge period, over whom they have no control over in terms of potential COVID exposure.
In addition HRAS informs that the Master and crew have been forced to write direct to the flag State administration, the Indian Government and Indian Unions because of the alleged conduct towards them by their management in raising their concerns for discharge, while the owner has allegedly threatened “disciplinary action of termination of the services of full complement” if they do not allow stevedores onboard.
It is stated that the ships agent has confirmed there is no screening for COVID-19 for the stevedores who would come onboard and stay for the period of discharge.
