Romanian Crew Detained for Months at Fourchon

10 Romanian crew members have been stuck on a docked ship in Port Fourchon for three months while the vessel's owner and operator unhurriedly attempt to fix safety problems. The Silver Star has been detained by the U.S. Coast Guard since Jan. 28 for deficiencies found during an inspection. The problems must be fixed before authorities will allow the crew and the ship to leave the port, said Lt. j.g. Paul Steiner, with the Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit in Houma. Coast Guard officials said ship management also hasn't paid the supply bills, which left the crew without access to food, laundry detergent and other essentials until other ships and a supermarket stepped in to donate supplies. The Silver Star is an offshore supply vessel. The crew performs various tasks for offshore oil companies in the Gulf of Mexico, including transferring fuel and general upkeep of the oil rigs. The crew itself comes from Constanza, Romania, which they describe as a fishing village on the Black Sea. Most crew members spend several months working around the world on ships and return to Romania to recuperate and spend time with family and friends. Crewmembers said they have no information about the problems and no idea how or when the deficiencies will be fixed. (Source: Times Picayune)