Maritime authorities in Israel recently detained a foreign-flagged commercial ship after a number of deficiencies relating to crew safety and welfare were found on board by local port and labour inspectors.
Port state control in the Port of Haifa detained the Palau-registered general cargo vessel Serafina following the discovery of 29 defects. Of these, 18 are classed as rule breaches, which, on their own, could have led to detention.
The identified defects include infestation; empty fish, meat and vegetable freezers set at incorrect temperatures; foul odour; an insect infestation; and sanitary facilities in dire need of repair or replacement. To address the crew's immediate need for toilets and showers, portable facilities have meanwhile been delivered to the Port of Haifa.
Serafina's 17-strong crew included Turkish, Egyptian, and Azerbaijani nationals. Work is now also underway to repatriate these individuals, who were also found to have no employment contracts, thus constituting another violation on the part of the ship's owner.
According to Equasis data, Serafina is owned by Dalyan Shipping and managed by Mert Marine. Both companies are based in Turkey.
