maritime

Ship with broken engines poses problems for Canal

A ship with mechanical problems has been stranded near the entrance to the Canal for six months.

Officials say that current laws restrict their ability to deal with the problem, but reforms will change that.

LA PRENSA

The Joanne I, which is stranded near Amador1099506

A ship that has been stranded in the Pacific Ocean near the entrance to the Panama Canal does not seem any closer to being moved.

The boat, Joanne I, which is flagged in Panama, has been stranded near Isla Flamenco with a crew of Filipinos aboard. The ship has mechanical problems with its engines, and the its owners have not provided the funds to fix them.

The captain of the ship, Mario Campos, has requested that the vessel be moved from the site because it has been periodically running out of fuel. This means it has been unable to turn on its navigation lights at night, which presents a danger to other vessels exiting and entering the Canal.

Campos also said that the crew has not been paid since the ship broke down.

Small amounts of fuel have been provided periodically, but the ship has run out three times, Campos said.

Ships going into and out of the Canal have to pass very close to the vessel, and the captain has argued that it should be moved by Panamanian authorities because it is a hazard.

The crew has also filed a lawsuit against the ship's owners in Panamanian court to demand the payment of back wages to the crew.

Alfonso Castillero, the director of Panama's merchant marine, said that it could not make any decision regarding the vessel because current laws do not allow it to do so. He added that, under regulations that will come into force next February, the government will have more flexibility in dealing with these types of situations.

Until then, however, it is unlikely that the Joanne I will move until its owners decide that they want it moved.