Ship faces detention in Ireland over claims of unpaid wages

A ship carrying cement was facing detention in Drogheda on the east coast of Ireland last night due to an almost €80,000 in alleged unpaid crew wages, according to reports in the Irish Times.

The MV Julia’s nine -man crew from Ukraine, Russia and Lithuania had not been paid since May, International Transport Workers Federation co-ordinator for Ireland and Britain Ken Fleming said. The men were owed US$102,700 (€79,110) in unpaid wages, he added.

The vessel is owned by Dutch- based company Transship Management. Mr Fleming boarded the ship after his counterparts in the Netherlands had received a distress call.

“We are seeking payment in full of the arrears owed to these men, all but one of whom wants to be repatriated because of the intolerable conditions on the vessel,” he said yesterday.

The ship was bound for Belgium with a consignment of 5000t of cement. Last evening the ship was transferred into the Boyne channel by the Drogheda port authorities to facilitate new business.