The Indian-flagged offshore support vessel (OSV) ‘Malaviya Twenty’ has set sail after being stranded for over two years in UK, due to legal implications. The vessel was detained by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in June 2016 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, over unpaid port fees and crew wages.
The crew onboard had been abandoned by the owners while the ship was found with deficiencies that prohibited it from moving. A total of 12 seafarers remained stranded onboard, and they were supported by the local community with food and internet access.
Following intervention by ITF, the seamen were repatriated with some of their wages paid and were replaced by a new crew in February 2017.
However, the Greek firm Laskaradis Shipping bought the ship in September 2018 at an auction of sealed bids held by the British Admiralty Marshal, and all legal requirements were settled, according to BBC.
The deficiencies have been restored and the ship has now left the UK port, under the name ‘Typhoon’.
The Captain along with his remaining three crew have flown home to India.
