Dutch maritime authorities have agreed that an NGO rescue ship impounded in Malta might not have been adequately registered to conduct such risky operations, sources said on Wednesday.
The Times of Malta reported on Monday that Maltese transport officials had written to their Dutch counterparts insisting that the Sea-Watch 3 was not registered to carry out search and rescue operations.
Read: Transport Malta insists Sea-Watch 3 cannot leave port
The vessel has been blocked in port for about a month after the Maltese government imposed an embargo on migrant sea rescue ships amid rising tensions in the region.
The decision was prompted by investigations involving the captain of another Dutch-flagged rescue ship, the MV Lifeline, also in connection with registration. The captain has since been arraigned.
The vessel still requires a certificate reflecting NGO’s declaration
The Maltese harbourmaster and Transport Malta’s maritime section contacted the Dutch authorities contesting the status of the Sea-Watch 3.
The sources said the Maltese authorities were arguing, among other things, that the vessel still required a certificate of registry, reflecting the type of vessel being declared by the NGO, and certification in line with the applicable international conventions.
The Dutch authorities replied, saying that while a number of contentious issues could be explained – from a safety point of view – the ship’s certification as a pleasure craft “may not adequately reflect the ship risk profile”, the sources added.
The Dutch authorities said they were considering a revision of their policies on the issue.
The NGO Sea Watch has not taken the impounding of its vessel lightly. It accused the government of detaining the vessel as part of a political game and not due to issues with paperwork.
“Since the Sea-Watch 3 is not featured in the sport boat list, as is the case for other NGOs, but in the royal shipping register as a Dutch seagoing vessel, fully entitled to fly the Dutch flag, the lack of permission to sail from Malta turns out not to be a registration issue but a political campaign to stop civil rescue at sea,” the NGO charged.