Unions call for fair treatment of crew trapped on S’pore ship that caused Baltimore bridge collapse
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An aerial view of the cargo ship Dali that hit and led to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, on March 26.
PHOTO: THE NEW YORK TIMES
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SINGAPORE – Two local seafarer unions are working to ensure that crew members trapped on the Singapore-flagged ship that lost power and knocked down Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge are safe and treated fairly.
MV Dali’s crew have not left the container ship since the accident on March 23 dozens of small explosives placed around a section of the bridge
Mr Gwee Guo Duan, assistant general secretary of the Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU), told The Straits Times that the crew members are safe and well.
He said the SMOU is working with its counterparts in the United States to obtain permission for the 21 crew members to temporarily leave the ship.
“The mental stress from being stuck on the ship for so many days is quite high, so we are working on getting shore leave for the crew, so that they can leave the ship for a few hours,” added Mr Gwee.
The crew – 20 Indian nationals and one Sri Lankan – have been unable to disembark because of visa restrictions, a lack of required shore passes and parallel ongoing investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Mr Gwee said the SMOU and Singapore Organisation of Seamen (SOS) will work with the International Transport Workers’ Federation and the US authorities to repatriate crew members no longer required in further investigations. This includes cooks and other personnel who do not command the ship or work in the engine rooms.
Following a visit to the MV Dali on April 24, the SMOU and SOS had expressed “deep concern” about the potential criminalisation of the crew members who were on board the ship when it lost power and knocked down the bridge, killing six construction workers who were unable to flee the scene on time.
Both organisations noted in a May 11 joint statement that while “some of the crew members are coping, morale has understandably dipped”.
Specific concerns include unfounded fear of personal criminal liability among the seafarers, emotional distress faced by those who witnessed the incident first-hand, and loss of communication with family members due to the confiscation of their SIM cards and mobile devices by the FBI.
SMOU general secretary Mary Liew noted in the statement that “the criminalisation of seafarers based solely on their position on board a vessel during an incident is a growing concern”.
She urged the parties involved “to prioritise a fair and balanced approach that protects the rights of seafarers and ensures their swift repatriation if they are not required for further investigation”.
SOS president Kam Soon Huat highlighted concerns about the mental health and overall well-being of the crew, noting that access to communication, especially with loved ones and family members, is essential for their well-being.
Mr Gwee told The Straits Times that SIM cards have been returned to some crew members, allowing them to resume contact with their loved ones and conduct essential banking matters such as cash remittances to their families.
“We are pushing for all confiscated SIM cards to be returned,” he said, adding that the ship is well-stocked with food and other resources, and crew members are in good shape physically with no injuries.
Mr Gwee said Singapore-based Synergy Marine Group, which manages the MV Dali, has been taking good care of the crew.
A team of workplace mental health specialists with experience in the maritime industry is offering round-the-clock support in the form of regular, individual and confidential counselling.
The crew also have unlimited use of the ship’s satellite communications and food is being delivered daily.
The Dali was built by South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries and delivered to Greek shipowner Oceanbulk Maritime in 2015. The ship, which can carry just under 10,000 20-foot containers, was sold to Singapore shipowner Grace Ocean and placed under the management of Synergy Marine.
The vessel has been chartered to the Danish shipping and logistics company Maersk since it was delivered in 2015.
On April 1, Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine filed a joint petition in the Maryland US District Court to limit their liability to the Baltimore incident to about US$43.6 million (S$58.7 million).
Grace Ocean then filed a general average declaration on April 17 to require cargo owners to cover part of the costs of refloating the MV Dali.
This allows a third-party adjuster to determine what each stakeholder should contribute.
