The Philippines government has evacuated or repatriated close to 200 seafarers from ships stranded off the coast of war-torn Ukraine.

Twenty-one seafarers from the S.Bulker’s 52,500-dwt bulker S-Breeze (built 2006) returned home on Tuesday, bringing the number successfully repatriated to the Philippines from the Ukraine to 63. A further 136 have been evacuated and are on the way home.

Seven more seafarers from the 9,400-teu Joseph Schulte (built 2013) returned to the Philippines today.