Force majeure declared as COVID-hit ship returns to Italy

Evergreen’s Ital Libera is headed for Italy two months after the death of its Italian captain as Asian port authorities refuse to accept the ship that was hit with an outbreak of COVID-19.

The 5,090 teu ship was en route from Durban to Singapore when Captain Angelo Capurro, 61, became ill, dying on April 13 in Indonesian waters.

He was brought aboard during a routine crew change in Durban, reportedly testing negative for COVID-19 before boarding the ship.