The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) communicates that the actions taken to safeguard the labor rights of the eight (8) Panamanian crew members who were on the ship “NISSI COMMANDER I” of the Mongolian Ship Registry, as well as the eighteen (18) crew members of other nationalities who were on board ships belonging to the Panama Ship Registry, came to a good end allowing them to return to their homes alongside their families, with the payment of their owed wages.

Regarding the Mongolian Registry ship, NISSI COMMANDER I, with IMO number: 8705333, which was anchored in the Bay of Santa Marta, Republic of Colombia, with eight (8) crew members of Panamanian nationality, since 25 January 2021, the date on which the labor complaint was received through the General Consulate of Panama in Barranquilla as well as a note from the Panamanian Association of Marine Officers (APOM), all the necessary steps were taken through diplomatic channels while working in conjunction with the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) to support them as far as the laws and international conventions allow us, since the ship is governed by the laws of its country of registration.

On April 17, 2021, it was reported that its 1st Officer, who was the last one to be repatriated, traveled to Panama from Barranquilla and all crew members were paid their wages owed by the shipowner.

Once on homeland, they were received at the headquarters of the AMP by several executives, where they expressed their gratitude for the various diplomatic actions carried out by the institution from the first moment that the case became known, which are reflected in each one of the international notes that were sent, among them, the one sent to the Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Panama, before the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Eng. Luis Bernal to request his support with the Mongolian counterpart, in order to request repatriation as soon as possible as well as payment of wages owed, based on compliance with the Maritime Labor Convention, 2006, as amended (MLC, 2006).

Likewise, for the GP B1 and GP B2 ships, located in the port of Shajah-Creek, United Arab Emirates (UAE), its captain was advised and carried out meetings with the ship’s P&I club, with the FMA-Federal Maritime Authority, and the collaboration of the Ambassador of Panama in the UAE, Ricardo Laviery Chávez, as well as the “The Mission to Seafarers” organization and the ITF, with the purpose of achieving the repatriation of its seafarers.

From both vessels, a total of eighteen (18) national crew members from various countries such as Myanmar, Indonesia, Pakistan, India, and the State of Eritrea were repatriated, in addition the shipowner paid their wages owed.

The arduous work carried out in all these cases, reaffirms the commitment of Panama through the Panama Maritime Authority in the application of the Maritime Labor Convention, 2006 as amended, of which we are signatories as well as the national regulations, whose main function is to ensure that seafarers enjoy decent living and working conditions that guarantee their well-being.

Source: Panama Maritime Authority