12.10.2009
Motorship Magdalena staying off port Dubai is arrested, said Petr Osichansky, inspector of International Transport Workers Federation (ITWF) to Interfax on Oct 12.
The ship is arrested for salary debt for the crew, said Osichansky. According to him, decision of arrest will be turned over to Dubai port authorities in nearest hours.
Interfax did not mention what court made the decision to arrest the ship.
Magdalena entered 12-mile zone, so it falls within jurisdiction of local authorities now, he added.
If the shipowner does not pay off salary debt, the ship will be put up to auction to square accounts with sailors, said ITWF inspector. By the way, Osichansky expressed hope that the shipowner won't bring to vessel sale and pay off a debt which is about $300 000, as for preliminary information.
Magdalena ship sailing under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda belongs to German company
BJR Shipping GmbH&Co. The vessel remains off Dubai port due to the engine failure since August 2009. The shipowner has not been paying salary for
Magdalena crew consisting of 9 Russians, 4 Filipinos, 2 Ukrainians and 1 Estonian for six months.
When shortage of fresh water and food products occurred early Sept, the crew called in aid to International Transport Workers Federation. After address to ITWF water and food supplies were delivered to the ship.
Shipowner promised to settle salary pay-off issue within two weeks then. However, by the beginning of October 2009 the owner of vessel had not squared up with sailors, so six crewmembers went on hunger-strike. ITWF was ready to apply sanctions to the vessel, but at that time
Magdalena was out of 12-mile zone controlled by local authorities, Osichansky told
Interfax then.
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