World-Trader

The 'World Trader' has been immobilized in the 5th basin in Brest for more than two months.The two crew members have not been paid. The Mor Glaz association stated that "this vessel no longer had a flag and called for it to be forfeited. The proceeds from its sale for dismantling could pay the back wages of the crew membersm who remained on board, and stressed that a meeting of the Seafarers' Welfare Commission was essential. Laure Tallonneau, an inspector with the International Transport Workers' Union, hopd that the maritime authorities will quickly decide to forfeit ownership of the ship and that the crew can return home very soon. Marcos Hernandez and Jairo Cordova, two Venezuelans, boarded the 'World Trader' in the Netherlands, employed by an unscrupulous shipowner. This Spaniard, based in Portugal, decided to put the scrapyard bound tug back to sea by registering it in Belize. Report with photo: https://www.ouest-france.fr/economie/transports/transport-maritime/une-solution-doit-etre-trouvee-pour-ces-marins-depuis-deux-mois-le-world-trader-est-immobilise-a-brest-909db5ce-08b6-11f1-8f27-f38523081a88

After three nightmarish weeks on board, the Ukrainian crew members of the 'World Trader' have returned home. They said they had been threatened with death by the rest of the crew. The two Ukrainians returned to their country on Dec 29. The 'World Trader' has been detained in the port of Brest since Dec 8, 2025, due to multiple violations and safety breaches. The Mor Glaz association commended the work carried out by Laure Tallonneau, an inspector from the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF). The maritime authorities and BrestPort, the port authority for Brest, continued to keep a close eye on the tug to ensure it doesn't leave the port of Brest undetected.

Moored in the port of Brest since Dec 7, the 'World Trader' remained immobilised after suffering several breakdowns. On board, two Ukrainian sailors are living in precarious conditions and denouncing threats from the rest of the crew and the shipowner's shortcomings. The tug was immobilised in Brest by order of the Maritime Prefect of the Atlantic: off the coast of Brittany, the vessel had accumulated damage and was unable to continue its journey to Casablanca. The hull is rusted, the paint is peeling, and the atmosphere on board is tense. The crew of six sailors is split in two: on one side, the Spanish captain and three other Venezuelan sailors. On the other side, two Ukrainian sailors, isolated since they denounced their situation on board. In the passageways, they pass each other without a word, avoiding one another in a tense atmosphere. Tensions escalated on the night of Dec 24. On their phones, the sailors showed a video taken on deck: they claimed to have been threatened with death by another crew member, who was drunk. Since then, they haven't dared leave their cabins. Their demand is simple: to be paid and allowed to return home to Odessa. https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/faits-divers-justice/remorqueur-vetuste-des-marins-ukrainiens-menaces-de-mort-que-se-passe-t-il-a-bord-du-word-trader-a-brest-5378960

The 'World Trader' was moored at the west quay of the fifth basin in the port of Brest on Dec 8 at around 9 p.m. as part of the port of refuge procedure. The ship had been taken in tow on Dec 7 by the offshore tug 'Sapeur' (IMO: 9270397) from Douarnenez Bay, after it had lost one of its anchors in the Roscanvel Bay. On Dec 9, government services, including the Ship Safety Center (CSN), the captain, and his deputy continued checks on the vessel, ensuring the safety of the ship and its crew. The investigations revealed very limited fresh water and food supplies on board. The inspection carried out by the CSN were to determine if any other deficiencies are found. For the Maritime Prefecture, beyond the technical aspects related to maritime safety, particularly the loss of the starboard anchor was of interest. Report with photo: https://www.ouest-france.fr/economie/transports/transport-maritime/dans-la-rade-de-brest-le-remorqueur-world-trader-sous-haute-surveillance-a7d9a2b0-d43c-11f0-bf7c-eb0c437cb865

The 'World Trader' was undergoing an inspection on Dec 8. At noon, the captain of the tughad intended to leave Finistère and set sail for the port of Casablanca. But the vessel was in poor condition: having broken down twice in recent days off the coast of Brittany, and in the light of this, Rear Admiral Cyril de Jaurias, acting Maritime Prefect of the Atlantic, made the decision to inspect the tug between Roscanvel and Île Longue, to assess the risks posed by the vessel in terms of maritime safety, environmental protection, public order, and maritime security.. As the 'World Trader' has offered no guarantees regarding the repair of its damage, it was prohibited from approaching or transiting the Brest narrows until this order has been lifted. The Mor Glaz Association welcomed the decision of the Maritime Prefect, as well as Laure Tallonneau, ITF/CGT inspector, who over the weekend had raised the alarm about the dramatic and dangerous situation of the eight crew members on the tug. The association reiterated that two Ukrainian sailors are demanding payment and repatriation. Laid up for three years in the Netherlands under the name 'World Tug 1', the ship which has 55 years of service history, was purchased by the Zodiacofuscante LDA, a ship management company based in Portugal. Registered in Belize and renamed 'World Trader', its crew consists of a Spanish captain, five Venezuelan sailors, and two Ukrainian sailors. Report with photo: https://www.ouest-france.fr/economie/transports/transport-maritime/dans-la-rade-de-brest-le-remorqueur-world-trader-sous-haute-surveillance-a7d9a2b0-d43c-11f0-bf7c-eb0c437cb865

On Dec 5, 2025, the 'World Trader' located in the Iroise Sea with eight people on board, reported a technical malfunction to the CROSS Corsen, while en route to Casablanca. Given the impossibility of carrying out repairs, the deteriorating weather conditions, and the proximity of the coast, the Maritime Prefect of the Atlantic, in coordination with CROSS Corsen, ordered the emergency tug 'Sapeur' to depart from its waiting area in Camaret to assist the vessel. At 5:00 p.m., a towline was established between the 'Sapeur' and the 'World Trader', allowing the convoy to reach Douarnenez Bay. At 9:30 p.m., the 'World Trader' returned to its anchorage. At around 11:30 p.m., the 'World Trader' was observed drifting towards the coast by the Cap de la Chèvre signal station. The 'Sapeur' then adjusted its course to take up position alongside the vessel. On Dec 6 at 12:30 a.m., having successfully moved out of the danger zone on its own, the vessel indicated its intention to reach Brest. At 2:00 a.m., a new towline was passed between the two vessels to stabilise the situation and keep the 'World Trader' away from the coast. Throughout the operation, an H160 helicopter from the Lanvéoc-Poulmic naval air base remained on standby, ready to intervene for a possible evacuation or to transport reinforcements. On the orders of the Maritime Prefect, the convoy headed towards the Brest anchorage to moor the tug at the Roscanvel buoy, with the assistance of a port vessel from the naval base. The 'World Trader' safely anchored around 5:00 p.m. and was to remain there while the port access arrangements were assessed to carry out permanent repairs. Report with photo: https://www.ouest-france.fr/societe/faits-divers/apres-deux-avaries-au-large-de-la-bretagne-un-bateau-affrete-par-la-marine-nationale-porte-assistance-au-world-trader-6d98cb0a-d2cd-11f0-bf7c-eb0c437cb865

Vessel WORLD TRADER (IMO: 7000724) has been reported to the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) for abandonment. Details: - Flag: Belize - Port: Brest - Country: France - Owed Wages: 4 months - Number of Seafarers: 3 - Seafarer Nationalities: Venezuela - Reported to ITF: 01 Dec 2025 - Status: Open This information is sourced from the ITF Seafarers abandonment list, which tracks cases of crew abandonment worldwide.

Towed Panagia Parou to Breakers

On Jan 10, 2015, around 11:00 a.m. the CROSS Gris-Nez (CROSS), coordinated a towing operation 45 nautical miles off Boulogne. The tug "World Tug 1" had lost the empty 130-m-tank barge "Elisa S" enroute from Ceuta to Rotterdam in adverse weather conditions. The "Abeille Languedoc" was dispatched by the maritime prefecture area to take the tank barge in tow. A Dauphin helicopter of the Navy basedin Le Touquet was dispatched to airlift the required personnel onto the barge. After two attempts in very difficult weather conditions, a towing Connection was established and the tug headed to the port of Dunkirk where the convoay was expected in the morning of Jan 12.