Crew in Trouble: Trade Union Helps the Crew of VYSSOS

At the end of last month, an extraordinary incident occurred at the Bystre mouth. The dry cargo ship VYSSOS (IMO 9385790, Panama) struck a mine, causing substantial damage to its hull. The ship was en route to the port of Izmail to load grain.

Consequently, the engine room flooded, leading to a power outage. One crew member required medical attention. The Ukrainian Navy swiftly deployed rescue boats, towing the vessel to the port of Izmail for water drainage and repairs.

The ship’s captain reached out to Nataliya Yefrimenko, ITF Inspector in Ukraine and a member of the Marine Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Ukraine, lodging a complaint about delayed wages and inadequate living conditions for the crew.

To ascertain the facts, representatives of MTWTU visited the vessel, confirming the crew’s grievances. Electricity supply was restricted to essential areas, insufficient for heating and domestic needs. The utility space’s temperature was a mere 12 degrees Celsius, now dropping to 5-6 degrees Celsius in cabins due to plummeting air temperatures. The galley and refrigerators were inoperative, preventing food storage and preparation. The crew, including those with specific religious dietary requirements, received inadequate ready-made meals from the agent. Nine Egyptian crew members, unable to go ashore without visas, endured subpar sanitation, jeopardizing their physical health and morale.

The shipowner owed significant wages to the entire crew and a bonus for operating in a war zone. Amid communication difficulties and the owner’s reluctance to address issues, the crew’s working and living conditions deteriorated rapidly. They demanded immediate solutions to wage arrears and sign-off arrangements.

The ITF inspector in Ukraine is actively engaging with the captain, the agent, and the Egyptian Embassy representative to address wage issues. The ship agent provided small heaters, arranged for some crew members to go ashore and stay in a hotel for respite, and sought support from the Izmail International Seamen’s Club. Pending a decision from the International Club, there are plans to provide seafarers with household items for their stay on board.

This year, MTWTU representatives, along with ITF Inspector Nataliya Yefrimenko, addressed some issues during their second visit to VYSSOS. Fan heaters were installed to improve cabin conditions, yet nine Egyptian crew members remain confined on board without visas, unable to access proper facilities for showering or resting.

With support from MTWTU and the MORTRANS Charitable Foundation, the primary trade union of PJSC Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company delivered essential facilities from Izmail International Seamen’s Club to the crew. These included first-aid kits, dry showers for hygiene, disposable heating pads, and informational materials from MTWTU and ITF. The hope is that this assistance will alleviate the crew’s physical and morale challenges as efforts continue to resolve outstanding issues.

Even though the crew is not part of MTWTU, a sense of professional solidarity motivates every effort to influence the resolution of this dire situation for the VYSSOS crew, who have become hostages to circumstances.