MARINE PRIME
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Ship renamed and reflagged months after being towed into Malaga
The 'Marine 1', which has been moored at pier 4 of the Heredia dock in Malaga since Nov 27, 2025, has been renamed 'Marine Prime', after a shipowner based in Ghana has expressed interest in it. The ship had been adrift in the Strait of Gibraltar for almost two weeks with 17 crew members on board, without fuel, provisions, or water. before being towed to port by the 'Luz del Mar'. The crew members from Azerbaijan, Egypt, Ghana, Montenegro, Nigeria, and Ukraine, had not received their salaries for the last two months at sea; a circumstance that reinforced the hypothesis that 'Marine I' had been abandoned by its owner. Upon arrival in Malaga, the crew members were assisted by units from the National Police, Civil Guard, and the Red Cross. The 'Marine I', moored without its chain and anchor on its starboard side, remained stationary since. After exceeding 60 days in Malaga, the ship, which has sailed under nine different names and was built at the United Shipyards of Veracruz in 1994, now apperead under the name 'Marine Prime', flying the Comoros Islands instead of the Panama flag. With its entire crew immersed in various repair tasks, the ship will have to undergo a series of inspections by the Maritime Authority upon completion. Report with photo: https://www.malagahoy.es/malaga/barco-abandonado-estrecho-cambia-nombre-puerto-malaga_0_2005737745.html#goog_rewarded
Crew doing well aboard after ship was towed to Malaga
After the 'Marine I' was towed to Malaga, the crew wasreportedly doing well. It was unknown if and when they will be repatriated.According to the ITF, the 'Marine I' has a crew of 17 from Azerbaijan, Egypt, Ghana, Montenegro, Nigeria, and Ukraine. According to the ITF's abandoned ship database, the crew members were entitled to two months' back pay. The owner, based in the UAE, also manages another ship, the 'Sundry' (IMO 9045651). The Spanish port authorities will attempt to recover the costs of towing and port dues from the owner. According to a report by the ITF, at least 3,133 seafarers were abandoned on ships worldwide last year. The owner is then unreachable, and the crew is often entitled to back pay. The ITF attributes this to the Flags of Convenience system. At least 90% of abandoned ships were operating under a flag of convenience, with Panama in the lead (43 cases). According to the ITF, this country is allegedly not complying with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). This convention contains minimum guarantees for the welfare of seafarers and also includes provisions on pay, repatriation, and other benefits.
Ship towed to Málaga after running out of fuel
The 'Marine I' was towed into the port of Málaga on Nov 27, 2025, at 11.54 p.m. after having been adrift in international waters for ten days near the Strait of Gibraltar without drinking water, food, or fuel. On board were 17 crew members who had suffered from a lack of supplies and several malfunctions in recent days, endangering their safety. The General Directorate of the Merchant Marine, along with its Moroccan counterpart, decided after several days of observation to ddeploy a tug to tow the ship to safety. The tug 'Luz de Mar' was mobilized, departing from Ceuta and, shortly before 2:00 p.m. that day, secured the tow of the 'Marine I' to Málaga. Meanwhile, a Red Cross medical unit waited at the port of Málaga in case assistance to the crew was needed. Two miles from the Port of Malaga, two tugboats from the port, along with a pilot boat, took over the towing operation until the vessel reached the port entrance at approximately 11:30 p.m. and docked at Pier 4. All crew members were found in good health. The ship has been renamed several times and is owned by a Dubai-based company. Efforts were now underway to locate the owners to determine whether they will take responsibility for their employees and the ship's costs and liabilities. The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) was aware of the deployment and had warned of the crew's plight on board.
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