Inclusion on RightShip’s high risk list will reduce the rating of Fairweather Steamship Co Ltd’s entire fleet to 1 star on Qi, RightShip’s online ship vetting & risk management platform.
Fairweather Steamship Co Ltd manages a fleet of five dry bulk vessels, all of which have historically performed well and without serious incident.
Martin Crawford-Brunt, CEO, RightShip, said: “The Top Grace stowaways incident and trial is a deeply serious contravention of international maritime law, requiring us to place Fairweather Steamship Co Ltd on our high risk list of ship managers. This is a serious step, and will bar the manager from any further positive recommendations on our platform.
“The clearly inhumane actions of the captain and crew in this incident are a stark reminder of the importance of our maritime legal structures. We hope that this blacklisting will prompt the managers into swift remedial action to ensure that this event is never repeated.”
David Hammond, Founder and CEO, Human Rights at Sea, added: “One of the most integral principles of maritime law is our shared responsibility to each other. This shocking contravention of this principle should be a reminder for our whole industry about how we conduct ourselves to others, even in difficult times.”
RightShip has written to Fairweather Steamship Co Ltd to inform them that they have now been placed on the high risk list, and has requested an immediate reply.
More information on the incident can be found here.