Crew of filthy,Panama flagged ship owed $35,000

A PANAMANIAN-FLAGGED, Turkish-owned vessel was detained in the UK on Tuesday, April 22, for multiple safety and accommodation failings with the crew owed $35,000 back pay.

The Munzur, described as unhygenic and filthy, was detained in the morning at Fowey in Cornwall and the owners were given until evening to pay the wages, or the ship would face arrest..

The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) is assisting the crew, most of whom it says are desperate to leave the vessel and return home.

There are 12 crew members, from five different nationalities. They report that all except one were being paid below the ILO minimum, with one earning just $400 per month. At least five of them haven’t been paid since they joined the vessel in January/February.
The crew is owed over $35,000. 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 said:: “The contracts of employment onboard 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.”