***Runaway-Flag Ship Faces Arrest
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), to which the SIU is affiliated, has issued the following news release and accompanying photos.
A ship detained at Fowey for multiple safety and accommodation failings will face arrest at 17:00 BST today unless the owners pay the crew the wages they owe them.
The Panamanian-flagged, Turkish-owned vessel Munzur was detained by the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency for multiple failings (see www.dft.gov.uk/mca/mcga07-home/newsandpublications/press-releases.htm?id=E9F94A932A35E50E&m=4&y=2014). The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) is assisting the crew, most of whom are desperate to leave the unhygienic and filthy vessel and return home.
There are 12 crew members, from five different nationalities. They report that all except one of them were being paid below the ILO minimum, with one earning just USD400 per month. At least five of them haven’t been paid since they joined the vessel in January/February.
The crew is owed over USD35,000. Nine of them no longer want to sail on the vessel and have asked the ITF to legally challenge the company on their behalf and secure the owed wages and repatriation costs.
ITF inspector Darren Procter is helping the crew. He explained: “The contracts of employment on board are in breach of many Maritime Labor Convention regulations, and there are allegations that payment was made to secure employment.
“Living conditions are appalling, with the vessel having no hot water at the time of arrest, no washing machines, filthy bed linen, low levels of fresh food, unsafe electrics and a sanitary system which relies on a 45 gallon drum full of sea water.”
He concluded: “We have given the company a deadline of 17:00 today to pay the crew and organize repatriation. Failing that this vessel will have to be arrested.”
FROM THE HANDY SHIPPING GUIDE (UK):
***Freight Vessel Faces Arrest for Disgusting Conditions and Unpaid Wages
22 April 2014
22 April 2014
UK – Tonight at 17:00 hours the Turkish owned, Panamanian flagged merchant vessel Munzur faces arrest tonight after being detained by British authorities when breaches of the Maritime Labour Convention were discovered. It is believed the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) boarded the general cargo ship after she ran aground in the River Teign at Shaldon beach on 31 March when manoeuvring whilst empty of freight .The Munzur was turning when she grounded and the harbour commission tug boat Teign C sent to assist her and recover her to the harbour at Teignmouth.
Upon arrival in Fowey the ship was detained by the MCA for numerous breaches concerning the health and safety of the crew, these included insufficient and filthy bathroom and laundry facilities, insanitary food storage, many damaged lights and corroded pipework. Full details of the faults found, together with those of other vessels detained in the UK in March, can be seen here.There are 12 crew members, from five different nationalities on the ship who reported that all except one of them were being paid below the ILO minimum, with one earning just $400 per month. At least five of them saying they had not been paid since they joined the vessel in January/February.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is assisting the crew, and tell us most of these are desperate to leave the vessel and return home with collective unpaid wages standing at $35,000. Nine crew members have told the ITF they no longer want to sail on the vessel and have asked the ITF to legally challenge the company on their behalf and secure the owed wages and repatriation costs. ITF inspector Darren Procter is helping the crew and he explained:
“The contracts of employment on board are in breach of many Maritime Labour Convention regulations, and there are allegations that payment was made to secure employment. Living conditions are appalling, with the vessel having no hot water at the time of arrest, no washing machines, filthy bed linen, low levels of fresh food, unsafe electrics and a sanitary system which relies on a 45 gallon drum full of sea water. We have given the company a deadline of 17:00 today to pay the crew and organise repatriation. Failing that this vessel will have to be arrested.”
The vessel is reportedly owned by Munzur International Ship Management registered in Panama and operated by Anmar Shipping (Anmar Uluslararasi Nakliyat) from an apartment in Mersin. With the amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) now effectively in place as reported earlier this month, ship management companies are likely to have to shape up in future as this sort of incident becomes even more common with authorities prepared and willing to act on behalf of seafarers.
Photo: The Munzur with inset some of the conditions faced by the crew.
FROM THE CORNISH GUARDIAN (UK):
***Turkish owners of Munzur ship detained in Fowey have until 5pm to hand ‘slave’ crew unpaid wages
By CG_Steve | Posted: April 22, 2014
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THE TURKISH owners of a ship detained in Fowey have just over an hour to pay their “slave” crew the wages they owe them – or face legal action.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has given the company until 5pm to make the payment.
The 12-strong crew, from five different nations, have been living in “unhygienic and filthy” conditions aboard the Panamanian-registered Munzur, which was detained at the start of the month.
All are said to be earning less than the legal minimum, with one receiving just $400 a month and five reportedly not having being paid since January or February.
An ITF spokesman said the crew was owed over $35,000 in total, and nine no longer wanted to sail on the vessel.
He said they had asked the ITF to legally challenge the company on their behalf and secure the owed wages and repatriation costs.
ITF inspector Darren Procter said: “The contracts of employment on board are in breach of many Maritime Labour Convention regulations, and there are allegations that payment was made to secure employment.
“Living conditions are appalling, with the vessel having no hot water at the time of arrest, no washing machines, filthy bed linen, low levels of fresh food, unsafe electrics and a sanitary system which relies on a 45 gallon drum full of sea water.”
He added: “We have given the company a deadline of 5pm today to pay the crew and organise repatriation. Failing that this vessel will have to be arrested.”
Arresting a ship means it will not be able to leave Fowey and legal proceedings will be initiated against the owners to recoup the unpaid earnings.
The ship was originally detained by the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
It had 14 deficiencies cited by inspectors, including missing fire alarms, non-existent navigation charts and unsanitary living conditions.
Andrew Linington, of Nautilus International, the seafarers’ union, said: “There is no doubt this is like modern-day slavery. These rust buckets are washing up in our ports and the sailors are being denied their basic rights.”