India reported that Chinese authorities gave the green light for crew change for 16 stranded Indian sailors on board a cargo vessel that has been on an anchorage near the Chinese port of Caofeidian since September.
In early 2021, India called China to help the 39 crew of the stranded cargo vessels MV Jag Anand and MV Anastasia. The ships have been stuck for months near Jingtang and Caofeidian ports.
Now, Indian news agency PTI reported that authorities in China have given clearance for crew change for 16 stranded Indian sailors on board a cargo vessel that has been on an anchorage near the Chinese port of Caofeidian since September.
PTI cites the External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava, who expressed his positivity that the crew change can be effected at the earliest, commenting that “After sustained follow up by our embassy in Beijing, the Chinese central authorities have conveyed their clearance to the local foreign office in Tangshan and port authorities for the transfer of crew of MV Anastasia.”
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To assist the stranded seafarers, India called China to help the 39 crew of the stranded cargo vessels MV Jag Anand and MV Anastasia back in January, with the former explaining that they had noted the statements of the Chinese side expressing their willingness to extend their assistance in this matter.
Similarly, the International Transport Worker’s Federation (ITF) joined the fight to help the stranded seafarers in November. As so, the ITF urged the governments of China, India and Australia to collaborate and urgently end the stalemate regarding the berthing of the coal-carrying vessels in Chinese ports, as some of the seafarers have been on board for more than 20 months.
