Derelict Cargo Ship Detained in Port of Long Beach Is Sold for Salvage

Two months after the U.S. Coast Guard confined the cargo ship Fotini to the Port of Long Beach, the aging freighter was sold for scrap Saturday, ending the ordeal of its mistreated crew and removing a potentially dangerous ship from the world’s sea lanes.

In the brisk morning air outside Nielsen Beaumont Marine Inc. in Long Beach, Aylesford Ltd. of Gibraltar bought the bulk carrier for $250,000 with the only bid received for the Fotini, which had been deemed unseaworthy by Coast Guard inspectors in early October.

Charles Deeney, a representative for Aylesford, said the rust-encrusted ship would either be towed or sailed to China, where the company plans to dismantle it. The metal and equipment from the ship may be worth at least twice its sale price in the world’s scrap markets.

The vessel was sold under the supervision of the U.S. District Court, which ordered the Fotini seized by federal marshals at the request of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, a London-based union that represents seafarers around the world.

Federation inspectors filed a legal action against the vessel, alleging that the Greek owner had failed to pay crew members at least $75,000 in wages. Under maritime law, vessels can be seized by authorities in U.S. waters to recover unpaid earnings.

Inspectors Rudy Vanderhider and Ray Familathe, who are based in the local ports, also found unsafe working conditions, polluted drinking water, overcrowded living quarters, stale food, severe cockroach infestation and backed-up toilets that caused sewage to overflow onto the deck.

“This is a great victory for the ITF and seafarers around the world,” said Philip Monrad, an attorney for the federation. “The Fotini should be sold as scrap. It was a tragedy waiting to happen.”

Federation officials said the proceeds from the sale will be used to pay the wage claim and the cost of repatriating the 10 crew members still on the ship. The remaining Filipinos and Pakistanis are what is left of the original 40-person crew.

Monrad estimated that the federation’s total claim against the Fotini may now exceed $100,000. In addition, creditors are seeking at least $240,000 from the vessel. They include marine suppliers, Pacific Hospital in Long Beach and the Long Beach Maritime Medical Clinic, which treated the crew after the ship was detained.

Monrad said the federation and the other creditors may contest the auction. They have until Wednesday to evaluate the situation and make a decision.

The action against the Fotini began on Oct. 1, when the Coast Guard detained the ship until the owners could make repairs and bring the vessel up to minimum safety standards.

Among other things, navigation equipment did not work, charts were 20 years old, the lifeboat did not work, and there was not enough room for the crew in the life rafts.

On deck, the rusty hatch covers on the empty cargo holds were frozen wide open, conduits through which rough seas could pour in seconds. Fuel oil also leaked into the holds and some of the holds shipped seawater.

Coast Guard officials said they were particularly concerned about the Fotini because the 575-foot ship is an old bulk carrier. According to studies by the United Nations, bulk carriers, which haul heavy cargo such as coal, grain and scrap, have one of the worst safety records in the world due to structural problems.

“The Coast Guard was a blessing,” said Romeo Ortega, the Fotini’s radio operator. “We were going to go to Vancouver and to India. I don’t think we would have made it.”

Since the vessel was detained, the crew had dwindled to 10 and a Russian dog named Blackie. Some crew members were repatriated by the owner. At least nine have fled into the United States after receiving medical care. Blackie has been adopted by a Rancho Palos Verdes police officer.

Several weeks ago, the ship’s owners, Sea Gypsy Maritime Inc. of Panama and World Carrier Corp. of Greece, abandoned the vessel, stranding the remaining crew members in port.

Those crew members have lived on donations of food and supplies from the transport federation and the Los Angeles harbor pilots association.

“We appreciate all that has been done for us,” said Ortega, who is from the Philippines. “We are waiting for the money to go home. I hope I get there for Christmas.”