The Indian chief officer of a Norwegian-owned bulker has been denied an emergency disembarkation for medical treatment at Lianyungang in China.

The denial comes despite negative results of Covid-19 testing and a fully vaccinated crew on board the Saga Shipholding vessel.

The company's head of technical, Nils Otto Bjorhovde, told TradeWinds that local authorities of China's Maritime Safety Authority (MSA) granted permission for the 56,800-dwt Saga Morus (built 1997) to disembark its acutely ill chief officer, then revoked it the next day.