幾天前，Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide（發布本文的網站）發布了來自「M/V Knightship」號全體船員籤名的一封信，信中稱由於中國和澳大利亞的關係緊張，他們的船滿載煤炭被困中國錨地已達數月之久，所有船員都沒法下船。（一艘運澳大利亞煤炭的印度商船被困京唐港5個月，外交部回應）
A couple of days prior, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide published a letter sent to us and signed by the crew of the vessel M/V Knightship, alleging that the ship had been stuck for many months in anchor, laden with coal, due to the trade tensions between China and Australia. All this time, crew members have been unable to disembark.
△ 資料圖：散貨船「M/V Knightship」號，178838載重噸。
今天（11月27日），該網站收到了來自船東Seanergy Maritime Holdings（總部位於希臘）的回覆，稱上次所發布的信件信息不符合事實，儘管它似乎代表了該船的船員，但它實際上是一個無法識別的一次性單獨案例，並不代表該船的船員。船東稱，「我們和船長一起已經全面徹底地調查了此次事件，船長確認，他本人和全體船員都沒有參與這次事件。隨附船長代表船員籤名的一封信，其內容不言自明。」
Today, we received the owner’s reply, which, of course, we will publish accordingly here. According to the owner, Seanergy Maritime Holdings, the information mentioned in the letter is misleading, because while it appears to represent the crew of the vessel, it’s rather provided by an unrecognized one-off case and does not represent the ship’s crew. The owner says that 「we have thoroughly investigated the matter with the vessel’s Master, who confirmed that neither the Master nor the crew are involved in these complaints. Attached is a letter from the Master of the vessel signed on behalf of the crew and its contents are self-explanatory」.
船東的信進一步補充說：「我們將與船員、租船人、當地代理商和船舶的保賠協會保持不斷的合作，盡最大的努力來改善船上的生活條件，並提供額外的娛樂活動以及精神和健康支持。船員的福祉對我們而言至關重要。除上述內容外，我們還與位於中國及附近國家（即韓國，日本）的多個機構進行日常溝通，以確定是否可以對我們的船員安全地進行任何類型的船員更換。我們還將向所有船員支付雙倍基本工資作為補償。船主總結說，我們還與烏克蘭和菲律賓駐華使館進行了接觸，以期了解有哪些船員變更方案可供選擇，但迄今為止尚未允許船員變更。
It further adds that 「we are in constant cooperation with the crew, the charterers, local agents and the vessel’s P&I Club performing the best possible efforts to improve the living conditions onboard with extra recreation features, as well as mental and health support. The wellbeing of our crew is of utmost importance to us. In addition to the above, we have everyday communication with multiple agencies located in China and in nearby countries (i.e. Korea, Japan) to check whether any kind of crew change can be performed safely for our crew despite on-signers nationality. We are also paying all crew onboard double basic wages provided as compensation and volunteer bonus for the delays the vessel has incurred. We have also approached the Ukrainian and Philippine Embassies in China in an effort to see what are the options available for crew changes but so far no crew changes have been permitted」, the owner concludes.
以下是船東發送給本網站的船員的書面答覆。
Below is the crew’s written response, as sent to Hellenic Shipping News by the owner.
「請注意，IMO：9507893的M/V Knightship號的船長和船員沒有參與最近在全球社交媒體上公開的投訴事件。這是一起已經得到解決的一名海員的孤立案例。M/V Knightship上的所有船員都將獲得船東提供的雙倍基本工資作為賠償金和志願者獎金，以補償由於中澳兩國政府之間的商業問題而造成的船舶延誤。船主們正在盡最大努力，在財務上、在身心健康的支持上，改善船員們的生活條件。
為了以及代表「M / V Knightship」號全體船員的船長
「Kindly be informed that Master & crew of the vessel M/V Knightship with IM0:9507893 have no involvement with the complains that were made public today to worldwide social media. This is a single isolated case from one seaman already targeted, accordingly Owners have been supported from P&I Club through the center 「Mission of Seafarers」. All crew onboard M/V Knightship are receiving double basic wages provided by the Owners as compensation and volunteer bonus for the delays the vessel has faced to discharging due to commercial problems between Chinese and Australian governments. Owners are performing the best possible efforts to improve our living conditions onboard either financially and with extra recreation features or with mental & health support.
For and on behalf of the crew
Master of M/V Knightship
這裡也附上幾天前該網站收到的那封投訴信：
The original letter sent to us was the following:
尊敬的先生/女士們，
我們是M/V Knightship（IMO：9507893）上的船員，我們現在的狀況非常糟糕，因為我們什麼都做不了。
我們的船裝滿了澳大利亞的煤炭，由於中澳之間的緊張關係，我們被困在了中國京唐港的錨地已經有五個月了。
所有船員的合同都已到期，我們的心理處於崩潰的邊緣，我們已經離開家人1年多了，我們無法幫助和支持他們。
沒有人能給我們明確的信息，船什麼時候卸貨。
我們的船東無能為力，因為租船人（ST Shipping and Transport Pte. Ltd. Singapore/Glencore International Ag Zug）和貨主不允許將船開到最近的其他國家港口進行船員換班。
船上的船員就像租船人和貨主的政治人質和奴隸一樣。這是對人權的侵犯。我們是人，對我們的自由擁有權利。
中國政府並不反對將船隻從錨地開走以更換船員。但是，租船者和貨主不願多花錢。我們只能待在船上無盡地等待，等待卸貨！在這片錨地，和我們情況一樣的約有22艘運送澳大利亞煤炭的船被困住。這些船員的合同期限為1年到20個月！我們再也不能等待，也不能保持沉默。我們不是奴隸和人質！
Dear Sirs/Madams,
We are crew of MV Knightship (IMO:9507893) now in a terrible situation, because we cannot do anything.
Our vessel is loaded with Australian coal and stuck at Jingtang, China anchorage. It’s been like this for five months already because of political conflict between China and Australia.
The crew on board have fully expired contracts, mental health in critical stance, our families without us more than 1 year. We cannot help and support them physically.
No one can give us clear information when the vessel finally discharges.
Our shipowner cannot do anything because the Charterers (ST Shipping and Transport Pte. Ltd. Singapore/Glencore International Ag Zug) and cargo owners don’t permit the movement of the vessel to the nearest other country port for a crew change.
The crew on board is like political hostages and slaves owned by charter and cargo owners. This is a violation of human rights. We are humans and have rights for our freedom.
The Chinese government is not against vessel departure from anchorage for a crew change. Still, the commercial question between charters and cargo owners is rising because they don’t want to spend money. People have to stay on board unknown duration of time and wait until the vessel is finally discharged! On this anchorage, in the same situation stuck around 22 vessels with Australian coal. Crew’s duration of contracts on these vessels is from 1 year up to 20 months! People cannot wait anymore and cannot keep silent. We are not slaves and hostages!」