SUR, ITF: Infamous SS Ross renamed, still calls at Russian ports
The dry bulk carrier SS Ross, which had been involved in a juicy scandal over employing slave labor, now make calls at the Russian ports under a different name, the Seafarers’ Union of Russia (SUR) said in a statement.
Despite the Far East Transport Prosecutor’s Office rule to immediately arrest the dry cargo ship, the port authorities do not detain the vessel. The SUR has notified law enforcement agencies about the new arrivals of the "slavery" ship to Russia and demanded to file a ‘death threats’ criminal case against the agents who continue to recruit Russians to the M/V SS Ross, now renamed as NARAI.
The M/V SS Ross and the M/V SS Veles owned by DAMELO GROUP INS have came to the attention of Russian law enforcement agencies this spring after numerous complaints of seafarers. They claimed that they were treated just as slaves: the crewmembers lived in terrible conditions and were not paid for months. Those who dared to protest had died or disappeared without a trace. There are three confirmed death cases on these two ships: the deaths of Vladimir Krayevoy, 63 and Konstantin Udilov, 52 (on the M/V SS Ross), and Eduard Bordachenko, still unaccounted for (on the M/V SS Veles).
In May 2012, the Far East Transport Prosecutor's Office initiated two criminal cases “Using slave labor with the threat of violence” and “Slave labor, which resulted in the death of a person” and announced the two cargo ships wanted. The authorities of the country’s sea ports were required to immediately report to law enforcement agencies about the arrivals of the vessels and to take measures for their detention.
However, according to ITF Coordinator in Russia Sergey Fishov, since the ruling the M/V SS Ross has at least twice called at the port of Vladivostok.
“Shipowners resorted to cunning - just changed her name,” Fishov was quoted as saying. “Now the M/V SS Ross is named the NARAI, and under this name easily comes to Russia.”
ITF Inspector in Vladivostok Peter Osichansky said that he and the SUR have already notified law enforcement authorities on the vessel’s new name. Now, however, the slave ships are out of the reach of Russian law enforcement agencies: the NARAI is in Korea, the SS Veles - in Indonesia.
“We will be informing the Prosecutor's office about their movements,” said Osichansky.
