160 oil workers stuck on an old ship at sea

Baku/31.12.20/Turan: 160 oil workers were stuck on a ship. The captain of ship refuses to take them on watch to the “Neft Dashlary” oil field, the head of the Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Oil Workers Mirvari Gahramanli told Turan about this. In connection with the pandemic, oil workers before the watch are in quarantine for a week in the Athletes' Village.

“Another group of 160 people was brought to the pier this morning after quarantine to be sent to the Oil Dashlary. At about 11.30, they were allowed to board the General Asadov ship. An hour later, the ladder was raised. However, the ship is still standing still. The captain conveyed information to the oilmen that the ship would go to sea only after 1 am. Passengers are not given any other information,” Gahramanli told Turan on December 31 at 16.50. She noted that this is not the first time that the captain of the General Asadov ship detains oil workers until nightfall.

“There was a similar case 2-3 months ago. Then the captain said that the ship could not dock at the pier at night and therefore the ship should arrive at its destination only during daylight hours. Then the oilmen were dropped off and kept in containers for many hours. Now, taking into account another 6 hour journey, the oilmen will have to keep on board the ship for about 20 hours without food and water,” Gahramanli said. She called on the heads of SOCAR and Caspian Sea Shipping CJSC to take urgent action. According to Gahramanli, they will be responsible for possible accidents with oil workers, for their health and safety. The human rights activist believes that it is time to buy new vessels to transport oil workers. –06B-