India pursuing crew change issue of two ships stranded in Chinese waters: MEA

New Delhi [India], January 14 : India is continuously pursuing the issue of crew change onboard two ships-- MV Anastasia and MV Jag Anand--stranded in Chinese waters, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.
Two cargo vessels with a total of 39 Indians on board have been on anchorage in Chinese waters as they were prohibited to unload their cargo.
During a weekly briefing, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that New Delhi is closely coordinating with Chinese authorities who are finalising the process to affect crew change on MV Anastasia at anchorage. MV Anastasia has been in the anchorage near Caofeidian port since September 20.
For MV Jag Anand, Srivastava said the ship's company, Great Eastern Shipping Company Limited, has decided to affect crew change in Chiba, Japan where the ship will disembark 23 crew members who will be flown to their hometowns in India from Tokyo. Jag Anand has been in anchorage near Jingtang port in Hebei province since June 13.
"Our ministry and mission in China are continuously pursuing the issue of crew change onboard the two stranded ships MV Anastasia and MV Jag Anand. For MV Anastasia, we're closely coordinating with the Chinese authorities who're finalising the process and the SoPs to affect crew change at anchorage. The ship's company is expected to initiate the process of crew change at the Chines authorities' directions," Srivastava said.
"On MV Jag Anand, the ship's company has informed us that they've decided to affect crew change in Chiba, Japan where the ship will disembark 23 crew members who will be flown to their hometowns in India from Tokyo," he added.