‘Absolute Disgrace’: Israeli Authorities Detain Cargo Ship Over Severe Inhuman Conditions

The Palau-flagged cargo vessel Serafina has been detained by Israeli maritime authorities after an inspection revealed severe inhuman conditions on board.

ITF Inspector Assaf Hadar reported finding a lack of employment contracts, improper food storage, bug infestations, and broken toilets, describing the situation as the worst he has encountered in his four years of inspecting ships in Israel.

The inspection uncovered numerous violations, including food storage freezers operating above 0°C, rotten meat emitting a foul stench, and sanitation facilities in disrepair. Haifa’s Port State Control (PSC) identified 29 defects on the vessel, 18 of which were significant enough to warrant detention on their own.

“This is an absolute disgrace that seafarers are forced to work in these inhuman conditions,” Hadar said. “In four years of inspecting ships for the ITF in Israel, I have never seen anything this bad.”

The Serafina is registered under the Palau flag, known for being one of the worst flags operating in the Mediterranean Sea, according to the ITF. The crew, comprising 12 Turkish nationals and five from Egypt and Azerbaijan, faced appalling living conditions, including bug and flea infestations, empty and improperly stored freezers, and broken toilet and shower facilities.

To help the crew, Hadar has arranged for portable toilets and showers to be available for the crew on the dockside and is working to ensure they are repatriated to their home countries.

“Seafarers have a right to decent working conditions. And the ITF and its inspectors will always stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them in demanding their rights are respected,” Hadar concluded.

Equasis data shows the Serafina is owned by DALYAN SHIPPING LTD and managed by MERT MARINE CORP, both based in Turkey.

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