In Thiruvananthapuram, crew changes occurred for the MSC Akiteta II, which had been stranded for nearly four months. On Saturday, twelve crew members, including one from Ghana, disembarked the vessel while eleven new members boarded. This marked the first crew change since the ship’s arrest, despite a previous medical evacuation from another vessel at the port. The MSC Akiteta II has a total crew of about 20.
Waterline Shipping, a local company managing mooring operations at Vizhinjam International Port, facilitated the crew change using a barge owned by Adani Ports. They transported the departing crew to the port and assisted the incoming crew in boarding the ship. Additionally, the company has been supplying provisions to the vessel during its time at anchor.
The crew replacements were necessary as many members had completed their contracts and were awaiting the ship’s release, while others missed holiday opportunities due to restrictions on leaving the ship after its arrest. Immigration formalities for the crew were handled at the Kerala Maritime Board’s facilities, as the port lacks integrated customs and immigration services.
The Kerala High Court had ordered the arrest of the MSC-owned vessel over a compensation dispute with the state government related to environmental pollution caused by a previous MSC container ship incident off Kochi’s coast. To secure the ship’s release, the company is required to pay a security deposit of nearly ₹1,000 crore.
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