Detained in Falmouth

Louise Carter is the AOS port chaplain in Falmouth on the South Coast of Great Britain. Here she describes how AOS brought pastoral care to seafarers whose ship had been detained for failing to meet international safety requirements. The story demonstrates the importance of “being alongside” those in distress.

"In April 2006, the ship Solara was detained by British maritime authorities when refuelling off the coast of Falmouth. The Solara, a 9000 tonnes ship, was owned by a Romanian company but flagged in Panama. Most of the crew were Romanian.

This was the eighth time that the Solara had been detained in seven years. One month previously it had been detained by the French maritime authorities. The British inspector who detained it said that it was the worst ship that he had seen in his 28 years of experience. The ship was unstable, unable to pump ballast and the bow was out of the water. The engines were in a very poor state, lifeboats inoperable and even the pilot ladder was condemned by the authorities.

The ship was anchored ¾ mile out to sea. In discussion with our sister mission the Mission to Seafarers who are present on the port and were also concerned for the ship, I talked to the harbour master and pilots and persuaded them to take me out to the ship. My husband Phil, an experienced marine engineer and AOS ship visitor, accompanied me. In order to board the ship, we had to climb a 30 foot pilot ladder in strong wind. Onboard we were met by four crew members. I speak a little Romanian so was able to greet them. They were delighted and escorted us to the ship’s mess.

Louise boarding the ship

I have never seen a ship in such a terrible state: the paint was falling from the walls, the furniture was old, broken and worn. There were fire hoses left in corridors where people might fall over them. Everywhere there was thick cigarette smoke.

When we reached the ship’s mess, the crew were very hospitable, asking if we were warm enough. They even tried to clean the seats with their sleeves before we sat down. We gave them telephones and telephone cards so they could speak to their families at home. We also gave them gifts of videos and books and some chocolate and snacks which they received with delight and began eating at once. In conversation they told us that they were fine and that their food was “okay”. But they also revealed that they were not sleeping well and that some of them had not telephoned home for three months.

The crew were unwashed and poorly dressed. No one seemed to be doing any work. Instead they were just smoking and watching a television with poor reception. We were very concerned to find the crew so apathetic. At the time of our visit, the ship had already been resubmitted for inspection twice and had failed both times. The crew no longer seemed to care if they left Falmouth or when they would be able to go home.

The sense of authority which is necessary on a ship had deteriorated on the Solara. The officers did not appear to be taking control and the ABs no longer expected instructions from them. The captain seemed to stay in his cabin playing solitary card games.

I needed to nominate a crew member to be responsible for the phonecards and telephones which I distributed. I chose the person whom the others seemed to respect most. He was the third engineer.

I then asked another crew member to show me the galley, (ship’s kitchen). The fridge, freezer and cupboards were all empty. In a locked storeroom there were a few bags of dry food. I think they held rice and flour. I did not see any bottled water, dairy products or fresh fruit or vegetables: vital constituents of a balanced diet.

Then the crew member showed me a cabin. It was in a very poor state and extremely dirty. Two men shared the cabin and there was no space for privacy. There were buckets collecting water from leaks in the roof; a filthy sink in one corner; and an electric heater with wires dangerously exposed. The smell in the cabin was terrible. The crew member persuaded me to take a photograph. Perhaps he thought that people would not believe that the conditions could be so bad otherwise.

The cabin that was home to two men for months at a time

Then he told me that he was desperate to leave the ship but did not want to lose his pay. He wanted my help to contact the ITF inspector who had previously visited the ship. The crew member had been too frightened to speak to the inspector himself. He was worried that, if the ship’s owner discovered that he had complained, his family in Romania would suffer.

He then gave me a statement signed by four members of the crew all asking to be discharged with pay. There was a problem in that their contract stated that 25% of their pay would only be paid on completion of the contract. The seafarer was very distressed about the situation and it was difficult to know if he really understood. I agreed to pass his statement to the ITF and encouraged him to contact me whenever he needed to.

Later the captain and I talked about the ship. It was clear to me that the captain felt obliged to support the ship owner. He claimed that the crew were well and that the ship needed only small repairs which would be completed very soon. But he also suggested that, when he had accepted the contract, he had expected a new ship and that he had been very disappointed to see the state of it.

Meanwhile, my husband had visited the engine room with the ship’s chief engineer. He reported that it was filthy with oil on the surfaces and floors. The main boiler was inoperable and the engines in such a very poor state that the crew were afraid to perform routine maintenance.

Over the next few days, we worked hard to persuade the relevant authorities to assist the crew of the Solara. During that time, members of the crew telephoned and sent us text messages requesting certain items which both AOS and the Mission to Seafarers were able to work together to provide. Eight days after our first visit, we returned with supplies of fresh fruit and vegetables, treats, toiletries, games, magazines, DVDs and phone cards.

Louise shopping for the seafarers

The crew members were pleased to see us and receive our gifts. It was clear that they accepted that no one could help them in any other way. There was also more tension onboard. We witnessed a verbal confrontation between an officer and an AB. We spent time with the seafarers just talking and encouraging them to contact their families.

As we left, one of the seafarers said

“I have been at sea 25 years and today it is worse than it was under Ceaucescu”.

I worked in Romania in the early 1990s and I understand how serious that statement was for a Romanian.

Shortly after, the ship was resubmitted for inspection. This time, the maritime authorities permitted it to leave British waters. A representative from the company which owned the Solara insisted that it was a very good ship, the best one in their fleet!

About four weeks later, I received a text message from one of the crew of the Solara. It said

“I cant thank you enough for your support. I am at home now with my family. If you come in Romania dont hesitate to call me I will be waiting, Yours faithfully, M..”

I was very grateful for the message. The whole incident made me reflect on our work, being alongside with those in distress even if we cannot relieve their situation. I was overwhelmed by the kindness of those seafarers who welcomed us onboard and tried to care for us even when they were not able to care for themselves.”

Please note that the name of the ship has been changed to protect the seafarers.

click here for contact details of AOS in Falmouth