60 SUOMEN MERENKULKU J FINLANDS SJÖFART
STUCK ON Nautilus member claims that a rule
forbidding children to disembark at a
DP World port is forcing families trav-elling
with crew members to cancel
shore leave and even miss flights
home. HELEN KELLY reports.
A ’draconian’ rule banning children from
disembarking at DP World London
Gateway container terminal is taking
away the right to shore leave from crew
members and their families – and has been
branded grossly unfair by Nautilus member and
deepsea pilot Ian Andrews.
In one recent case, the blanket ban forced a
master and his family to cancel their leave
entitlement, forcing them to stay onboard for an
additional three weeks. Capt Andrews warns that
Nautilus members could easily fall foul of the
same rule.
Melroy D’souza came into London Gateway
aboard a 58,200 tonne container ship in June.
Capt D’souza was travelling with his wife and
two children aged 10 and 2.
He alerted the ship’s agent Jamie Brian from
Denholm Port Services Limited of his family’s
intention to disembark at the container port for
onward journey into London and eventual flight
back to Mumbai.
The family had hoped to do some sightseeing
before returning home. They were holders of
valid British visas, and while the ship was
alongside the vessel was inspected by Border
Force immigration officers, the MCA and Port
State Control. Border Force stamped the family’s
passports and confirmed that there are no rules
or regulations for sign-off as they were passen-gers
onboard.
However, in an exchange of emails with Mr
Brian, which Nautilus has seen, Capt D’souza
was advised that ’terminal rules’ did not allow
children under the age of 16 to disembark.
Despite repeated requests for clarification and
contact with the port security officer or manager
in charge of the terminal, the agent refused to
take the matter further.
As a result, Capt D’souza had to cancel his
leave, and remained onboard with his family
while berthed in London. They all stayed on the
vessel for the remaining rotation – an extra three