Following more than a year of being in the Antigua and Barbuda waters as a
sanctioned vessel and with no one coming forward to claim ownership, the luxury
super yacht, Alfa Nero, is now the property of the government and people of
Antigua and Barbuda, even if for a short time.
General Manager of the Antigua Port Authority, Darwin Telemaque, who under
the statute has the responsibility to carry out the physical act of seizure of the
vessel, did so on Tuesday morning at the Antigua Yacht Club Marina where it has
been moored, for more than a year.
Surrounded by representatives from the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the Antigua and
Barbuda Department of Marine Services (ADOMS), the Antigua and Barbuda
Defense Force (ABDF) and a representative of the law firm – Stapleton Chambers,
which represents the five-member crew remaining on the vessel, and media
representatives; Telemaque posted a notice of seizure on the vessel and presented
the captain, with a Declaration of Seizure.
The team of officials then boarded the vessel where Telemaque informed the
gathering that as the Alfa Nero has now been seized by the government, there are a
number of things that will immediately follow.
“Under the provisions of the Antigua Port Authority Amendment Act, this vessel is
now the property of the government of Antigua and Barbuda. We came here first to
recognize that fact with the master of the ship. As of now all the activities aboard
the ship will be under the direction of the government. We are now going to have a
meeting with the lawyers engaged by the crew and we will now have a discussion
on how we move forward managing and maintaining the vessel,” he indicated.
The port manager said that as the vessel is in the hands of the government there are
five things that have to be done immediately, first of which was to meet with the
crew to get their cooperation and involvement in the process. The second matter
concerned the re-flagging of the Alfa Nero.
According to Telemaque, as a sanctioned vessel, the Alfa Nero has been without a
home country for more than a year and having it flagged is critical to the
government’s plans to finally dispose of the valuable asset.
Captain Ranan Bala of ADOMS explained that the process of re-flagging will be
done on the basis that it is a vessel owned by the Antigua and Barbuda
government. “We will need certain documents and we have already requested
these from the relevant authorities. Once we get a hold of these documents we will
then give it an Antigua and Barbuda flag,” he stated.
The other key point is the issue of insuring the vessel, said to be worth perhaps
over EC$100 million. Telemaque reported that discussions with insurers have
started but until the vessel was actually in the possession of the government,
nothing could be finalised.
On the issue of security, it was a member of the Antigua and Barbuda Coast Guard
who first boarded the vessel. A contingent from the ABDF will be working along
with the Coast Guard to protect the vessel on a 24-hour basis, and they will be
supplemented by the police and a private security firm.
Telemaque said the government is committed to settling all outstanding liabilities
owed by the vessel, including outstanding salaries for the crew, the Antigua Yacht
Club for fuel and mooring, along with a host of local suppliers of goods and
services.
The Alfa Nero will be sold to the highest bidder and after settling the outstanding
monies, the remainder will be paid into the Consolidated Fund.
