A 189-seater SpiceJet plane with 22 Indian seafarers and one manager of SeaTeam Management (India) Pvt Ltd flew from Chennai to Colombo today in the costliest crew joining plan undertaken since the pandemic halted staff swap on board ships globally.
From Colombo, these 22 crew and the new shipbuilding site manager stationed in South Korea will travel to Incheon to take over a newly constructed ship owned by Frontline Ltd, the world’s largest oil tanker shipping company, based in Hamilton, Bermuda and controlled by shipping tycoon John Fredriksen. SeaTeam is the Indian ship management unit of Frontline.
On the return trip, the plane will carry 15 stranded seafarers (working for other companies) from Colombo to Chennai, making it the first chartered flight to return with seafarers since Indian ship management companies chose this route to facilitate crew change due to the stoppage of international flights to and from India.
