SINGAPORE - Vallianz Holdings responded on Wednesday (Oct 26) to "an online post and e-mail being circulated on a delay in payment of salaries for the crew on the vessel Swiber Explorer."
Vallianz said it is making arrangements to settle the crew's outstanding salaries.
The Explorer has been detained in Dubai. It was orignally owned by Swiber which is now under judicial management.
Swiber Holdings has pledged its 25 per cent stake in Vallianz to lead creditor DBS.
Vallianz said it does not own the Explorer. It provides ship management services for the Explorer and another two vessels - Swiber Navigator and Swiber Sandefjord - which are respectively owned by Swiber and Sentosa Offshore.
Sentoso Offshore, a single shipowning company owned by Offshore Merchant Partners from Norway, filed for liquidation on Sept 21.
Vallianz said on Wednesday that following the developments at Swiber Group and Sentosa, the ownership of these three vessels which are currently anchored off Dubai, "has been affected".
"Notwithstanding that, Vallianz has been working closely with the relevant parties to review the current status of the three vessels."
Vallianz said it has transferred the payment of the salaries for the crew on board the Explorer and the Navigator up till August and the crew should receive the monies in their accounts within the next two days.
It has also made arrangements to settle the outstanding salaries due to the crew on the Sandefjord for the month of August before the end of this week.
All outstanding salaries to the crew of the three vessels for the month of September will also be settled by the end of this week, said Vallianz.
Splash24/7, a maritime news website, reported this week on the plight of the crew on board the three vessels. It said there are 39 crew on the three ships, comprised of Indonesians, Indians and Burmese.
The website published images of placards put up by the crew of the Explorer asking for help from among others, Indonesian president, Joko Widodo.
Vallianz said on Wednesday that according to the regulations in Dubai, a court application is required to repatriate or change the existing crew for detained vessels.
Vallianz said it "deeply regrets the current situation faced by the crew and is making every effort to help them."
It also wants to assure shareholders that its vessel chartering business operations are continuing as usual.
