Crew Seeks Relief as India Struggles to Auction Derelict Ship

After nearly three years, India continues to struggle to dispose of a derelict cargo ship while the seafarers' union and others are calling attention to the poor conditions for the caretaker crew. The ship remains anchored approximately one mile off Mumbai, and last week the Directorate General of Shipping asked the Bombay High Court to expedite another attempt to auction off the vessel.

The ship named Sencer 1 (2,800 dwt), according to media reports, arrived in Mumbai in July 2023, chartered to transport a cargo of transformers and accessories to Romania. Built in 2002 in China, the ship, which is registered in Tanzania, failed a Port State inspection with a staggering 40 deficiencies. They listed grounds for detention ranging from problems with the radar, radio, and echosounder to the oil filter equipment.

The ship was arrested in August 2023 on a complaint from the charter. That case was ultimately settled, but the ship was re-arrested in October 2024 over a new complaint. At some point, the Turkish owner appears to have abandoned the ship and crew.

The crew had been changed in October 2024 with nine Indonesians who were told the ship would be sailing in a month to Turkey. The crew instead reported it went unpaid for five months and had limited supplies of food, diesel, and fresh water. They were finally released from the ship in June 2025, after India’s National Union of Seafarers became involved.

The Directorate General asked the court in June 2025 to auction the ship and agreed to arrange for a caretaker crew. The individuals were told they would be aboard for four weeks but instead have found themselves stuck on the ship on a rotational shift for the past 10 months. Two individuals at a time are required to be aboard the vessel, which has no power.

The crew complained to the media in May that there was nothing for them to do on board and that the ship was in poor condition. They complained of becoming depressed, sleeping on the hatch cover, and lacking proper sanitation. They said food and water were being supplied, but complained about the quality of the food. Trash has accumulated aboard the ship. Because the ship is close to shore, the crew at least can get an Internet signal, which helps them to communicate and pass the time.

The court ordered a first auction in July 2025, and the ship failed to sell. They conducted a second auction in October, and again the ship failed to sell. The DGS last week asked the court to conduct a third auction.

The NUSI has taken responsibility for ensuring the ship was staffed after the Indonesian crew was repatriated in July 2025. It appointed an agency for one year that had five people working aboard the ship in rotations of two people, with one person required to remain aboard the ship at a time. The NUMI in May told the court it was appointing a new manning agency, but it is still required to place crew aboard the vessel to ensure its safety and that no unauthorized people attempt to board the ship.

The court asked the DGS if it could provide a list of possible participants in maritime auctions. The agency reported it does not maintain a database of past participants in these types of auctions.

Top photo of Mumbai harbor by A.Savin, Wikipedia Free Photo