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Seized ship released

Several Panamanian crew members could return to their country, after the investigations against the 'Star Balboa' which was anchored in Trinidad and Tobago due to the alleged discovery of narcotics, were completed. For the moment, the crew was waiting for the resolution that exempts them from the facts, as well as the return of their electronic equipment that was seized for the investigations. On Aug 28, once the ship arrived at the port of Charaguama in Trinidad and Tobago, to stock up on food, they were arrested for the alleged crime of illicit trafficking, but everything was negative, since there was no verification of such suspicions. The Foreign Ministry of Panama, the Panamanian embassy in Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the Maritime Authority of Panama, were dealing with the case, with the support of the lawyers, who advanced to exempt the crew from the charges for which they were detained. During the time that the ship was detained, at least 17 crew members were infected with Covid-19, after security personnel from Trinidad and Tobago went on board for inspections without biosecurity measures. The ship was released on Nov 24.

Crew continues to be detained on board and contracted COVID-19

The continued detention of the 'Star Balboa' and the 17 crew members, most of whom have contracted Covid-19, on suspicion of drug trafficking was turning out to be a diplomatic problem. In early September, the tanker arrived in Port of Spain to dispose of garbage and replenish their water and provisions but the vessel was arrested by local shipping agents for an outstanding bill of close to $80,000. After the bill was settled withom hours, a joint team of police, Coastguard, immigration, customs and prison officers boarded the vessel to execute a search warrant for dangerous drugs based on intelligence passed on by an international ally. Among the units involved in the operation were members of the elite Transnational Organised Crime Unit, which falls under the Ministry of National Security, Special Intelligence Unit, Customs and Excise, Immigration and even prison officers. Between Sep 2 and 13, officers searched every inch of the vessel, sending divers below and even wanted to empty the fuel tank and came up empty-handed. The vessel was anchored four miles off the coast of Chaguaramas and was ordered by local authorities to empty its ballast tanks in local waters in contravention of maritime laws. The crew contracted Covid-19 from members of the search party, some of whom were unmasked and in close proximity in crowded areas of the ship. Some members of the search team have also contracted Covid-19, as well as one member of the crew legal team. And the longer the vessels remains stuck, it is racking up a bill of US$11,700 a day in rental fees. A team of lawyers representing the owners of the vessel and the crew led by Sophia Chote SC, Nyree Alfonso, Peter Carter and Asif Hosein-Shah went to court challenging the alleged breach of their clients' constitutional rights but the matter was dismissed by Justice Eleanor Donaldson-Honeywell, who also refused to grant an injunction to prohibit the continued searches on Sep 17. Even though the searches ended after the court action, Coast Guard on Oct 2 ordered the crew not to leave and threatened to use lethal force if they did. The crew was now seeking help from the Panamanian authorities to go home. They have been at sea since July and had their communication devices confiscated by local authorities. Among the crew were eight Panamanians, three Venezuelans, including the captain Colombian, Peruvian, Nicaraguan and Argentine nationals. A total of 14 of them, including the captain, have contracted Covid-19. The captain collapsed on board and had to be taken to Caura for treatment but has returned to the vessel. The electronic equipment, including cell phones, was seized and the crew was not given the right to have a lawyer. They also asked that urgent medical assistance be offered to treat the Covid-19 disease and demand that the legal process be expedited. While they did not oppose the investigations by local authorities, they want it to be completed as soon as possible, because they have already been detained for 21 days.

sold

sold to Star Tankers Bunkering SA ,Panama US$ 8,5Mio.