18/11/2010
Seafarers on board the Most Sky resort to buying their own bread
A Pan aman ian flagged vessel has been detained by the UK maritime authorities after an inspection revealed that conditions on board were substan dard. It was later discovered that the crew had not been paid.
The Most Sky, owned by Er-Em Shipping an d Trading of Istan bul, Turkey, was held in Birkenhead by the UK Maritime an d Coastguard Agency after the alarm was raised by the pilot. The pilot expressed concerns not only about the condition of the vessel, but also the fact that nobody on board could communicate in English.
ITF inspector Tommy Molloy is currently representing the interests of the Azerbaijan i, Georgian an d Turkish crew of the vessel. Molloy had himself been alerted to the condition of the ship through ITF colleagues in Turkey; they also reported that the compan y had a history of non-payment of wages.
An inspection revealed that there was no fresh fruit, vegetables or bread on board; the shower an d toilet facilities were appalling an d there was no heating. Crewmembers pooled their limited resources to buy bread from a local shop an d put together makeshift heating, for example, by rigging a security light an d using an old kebab grill. A maritime solicitor has helped the crew to secure the arrest of the vessel in a bid to win back wages owed to them as well as repatriation costs. There is also a separate claim against the vessel as a result of salt water damage to the steel cargo.
Molloy commented: “The conditions on board this vessel are among the worst we have seen. The crew has to continue living in these appalling conditions while they wait for their wages to be paid an d to be repatriated. The vessel is only four years old but it looks about 20. It appears that nothing has been spent on maintenan ce. It is difficult to guess how long the vessel might remain here, but it won't leave until all deficiencies have been put right an d all claims satisfied.”
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