(a) whether 39 Indian crew members are stuck on cargo ships near Chinese ports for months together;
(b) if so, the details and the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Indian Government has taken up the matter with Chinese Government in this regard;
(d) if so, the response of the Chinese Government thereon; and
(e) the present position of these Indian crew members and the steps taken to bring them back home safely?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]
(a) to (e) 23 Indian crew members were on board an Indian ship MV Jag Anand, owned by The Great Eastern Shipping Company Ltd., Mumbai. The ship was anchored near Jingtang port, People’s Republic of China since 13th June, 2020. In addition, 16 Indian crew members are on board another ship MV Anastasia, operated by M/s MSC Crewing Services Private Ltd., Mumbai. The ship is on anchorage near Caofeidian port in People’s Republic of China since 20th September, 2020. The two ships could not offload their cargo and carry out crew rotation due to the strict regulations introduced by People’s Republic of China in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The issue of early crew change has been taken up with the Chinese authorities both at the provincial level and with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Our Ambassador in Beijing has also personally taken up this matter with the Vice Foreign Minister of People’s Republic of China.
The Chinese side has conveyed that the shipping company/agent can apply for crew rotation from a different port and that the local authorities would examine the feasibility of such request. The owners of MV Jag Anand decided to undertake crew change in Chiba, Japan. The ship carried out crew change in Chiba, Japan on 18 January, 2021. All the 23 crew members who were on board MV Jag Anand have since arrived in India.
As regards MV Anastasia, our Embassy continues to be in touch with the Chinese authorities as well as the shipping company to work out the modalities of crew change at port at the earliest.
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