1

For immediate release 4 July 2017

New Case of Seafarer Abuse Exposed “We are totally unsafe here… this is a dead ship. Sea water is leaking in the engine room… no facilities… rusty water…. If anything happens we will not survive. All will be dead… Please send us home.” Human Rights at Sea today publishes yet another detailed case study and investigatory report into the abuse of seafarers, on this occasion onboard a Panamanian flagged vessel moored offshore the coast of the UAE. This exposure comes after the 2017 Day of the Seafarer on the 25 June where the campaign focus was titled around "Seafarers Matter". On Friday 26 June, the first International Workshop for the Fair Treatment of Seafarers was held at the IMO and where Secretary General, Mr. Kitak Lim, clearly stated: "Seafarers are human, and it is their right – their absolute right – to be treated fairly in all circumstances." New case: MT Ocean Pride IMO 8520989 Panama Flagged. The Crew comprise one Pakistani, six Indian, one Bangladeshi, one Sri Lankan. The crew of the MT Ocean Pride are currently stranded on an increasingly dangerous vessel, anchored off the coast of UAE. The MT Ocean Pride is an oil/chemical tanker owned by Alco Shipping Services LLC. The crew of the MT Ocean Pride have had their basic human rights breached, with a lack of liberty, lack of protection for their health and bodily integrity, lack of protection for their right to life, and lack of family life due to their retention on the MT Ocean Pride. Throughout their ordeal the crew have been denied access to proper and timely medical treatment. They have not been provided with suitable facilities, food, water, or medical supplies, and their health and wellbeing has been severely damaged as a result.

2

Despite the intervention of the Indian Consulate in Dubai, at the time of writing, the crew remain unable to leave their vessel, and without access to suitable food and water. CEO, David Hammond, commented: "I am very thankful to our team for working so hard in rapidly compiling this new expose of an issue that many in the shipping industry would prefer did not reach the eyes and ears of the general public. The continued closed nature and lack of transparency surrounding such human rights abuses would simply not be tolerated in other industries who in stark contrast, have proactively pursued a publicly open "know and show" approach to known problems within their supply chains. Seafarers do matter and we hope that conditions will change onboard very soon." To view the detailed case study and investigatory report, see https://www.humanrightsatsea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170702-MT-Ocean-Pride-HRAS-Investigative-Case-Study-REDACTED-FINAL-SECURED.pdf -Ends- Notes to Editor Human Rights at Sea is an independent maritime human rights charity registered in England and Wales established for the benefit of the international community for matters concerning explicit engagement with human rights issues in the maritime environment. Its Mission is to explicitly raise awareness, implementation and accountability of human rights provisions throughout the maritime environment, especially where they are currently absent, ignored or being abused. For further information: David Hammond, CEO Human Rights at Sea, Langstone Technology Park, Langstone Road, Havant, PO9 1SA, UK Email: enquiries@humanrightsatsea.org Web: www.humanrightsatsea.org Publications: www.humanrightsatsea.org/publications