SEAFARERS aboard the livestock carrier Yangtze Fortune have received the wages they were owed, according to the International Transport Workers’ Federation.
Liberian-flagged Yangtze Fortune (IMO: 9336282) was arrested in December last year for outstanding bunker debts. It was sold and released from arrest earlier this month.
Thirty-six Filipino seafarers were initially on board the vessel, but nineteen were repatriated in January because, looking after the livestock, they were not necessary for the safe custody of the vessel while it was under arrest.
The remaining crewmembers stayed on board, and their welfare has been monitored by the ITF, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and the Mission to Seafarers.
According to the International Labour Organization’s abandonment database, on 19 December the crew were owed two months wages, amounting to around US$140,000 (more than $202,000).
The ITF claims its forensic investigation of pay records revealed the crew’s wages payments in both September and August of last year had been made using monies set aside for workers’ leave entitlements and the company’s provident fund.
“These workers had to stay with their abandoned ship while sale processes were afoot in order to ensure they would receive compensation and backpay for the months of wages that had been withheld from them by their employers”, ITF Australian inspectorate coordinator Ian Bray said.
On Wednesday (22 March) the ITF said the remaining original crew were to return to shore in Portland for the final before travelling to Melbourne and boarding a flight to Manila.
It said a replacement crew, supplied by the ship’s new owner, has now relieved them.
