#CARGOSHIP DISPUTE – A cargoship docked in Drogheda Port, Co. Louth, could face arrest if Dutch based Tranship Management, does not immediately pay the crew in unpaid wages, according to Ken Fleming of the International Transport Workers Federation.

Fleming who is the co-ordinator for the ITF in Ireland and Britain, has warned the company that they immediately pay the nine men crew of the Julia, who claim $102,700 is owed in total to them.

The Eastern European crew of the 3,870grt freighter are from the Ukraine, Russia and Lithuania, and they claim they have not had not been paid since May.

Mr. Fleming said, "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".

"The company faces a very simple choice, either they transfer the arrears to their local agent for immediate disbursement to the crew or I will be applying to the Admiralty Marshal of the High Court for the ship's arrest."

The ship built in 2006, has a consignment of 5,000 tons of cement on board for Belgium, however he added "it will be sitting here in Drogheda if the company does not live up to its commitments. The day is long past since this sort of treatment of seafarers was tolerated in Irish ports."