Filenews 28 March 2022
by Anastasia Vamvaka
Food, fuel and medical supplies are running out on ships trapped in Ukraine, which cannot leave because of the fighting.
Despite the initial turmoil of successful evacuations by shipowners and flags, more than 1,000 seafarers are estimated to be stuck within the war zone.
Lloyd's List Intelligence data shows that 347 ships have not moved since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine and at least 128 foreign-flagged ships have been stuck inside Ukrainian ports or anchorages
While a few hundred sailors are believed to have been evacuated, the International Chamber of Shipping and the Federation of International Transportation Workers said about 140 foreign-flagged ships with more than 1,000 seafarers from 20 countries were stuck in ships with supplies declining.
Lloyd's List Intelligence data analysis shows that the number of ships stuck in Ukraine's ports could be significantly higher than initial estimates, although it is not clear how many ships still have crew.
Of the 347 ships that can be identified by the signals of the Automatic Identification System, which stopped moving after the fighting erupted in Ukraine and remained inside ports or anchorages, most are either ships flying the flag of Russia or Ukraine. Many of them are of smaller domestic capacity for which the crew was supposed to have already been evacuated.
However, 128 are foreign-flagged ships, many of them with a crew trapped on board and cannot leave due to fighting.
It is not clear how many sailors leave Ukraine, but the experience of Liberian-flagged ships is indicative. According to flag officials, about 350 sailors were aboard Liberian ships in Ukrainian ports at the outbreak of war.
Despite immediate efforts to place ships, the owners were only able to repatriate 50-75 of their crew members before the fighting prevented any further evacuation.
Details of the crew of 275 people remaining on Liberia-flagged ships stuck in Ukraine's ports are limited. However, officials admit that official refuelling routes were cut weeks ago.
Accurate estimates are weak, but many other important flags mention a similar level of repatriation, suggesting that at least 1,000 sailors are currently trapped inside the war zone on ships on a semi-mission that cannot leave.
At least five merchant ships have been hit by projectiles since the outbreak of war, and while only two sailors have been confirmed to have died in the collision, officials stress that details are still being confirmed and it is likely that this number has already increased.
Source: Capital.gr
