Crew member from the m/v Zhibek Zholy: “The vessel was not detained in Turkey”

Former members of the crew of the cargo ship Zhibek Zholy addressed the Inspector of International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) in Novorossiysk. The seafarers asked to help them get their wages owed them for two months. Besides, they told  that  backwages was not the only problem on board the Zhibek Zholy. “There had not be any detention,” they insisted.

Earlier the media, citing the Ukrainian ambassador to Turkey, reported that the ship, allegedly carrying grain from Berdyansk, was detained in the Turkish port at the request of the Ukrainian side. On the  route the dry cargo ship also called at Novorossiysk where part of the crew was changed. The seafarers who have signed off without full payment now hope for the assistance from the trade union and the ITF.

According to a seafarer who had been working 1 contract for the Russian company Green Line,  at first the money was paid on time, but since May the company ceased to pay wages . “All crew members faced the same  situation - nothing was paid for May and June, there were just promises. And now the management has stopped even promising, they just don’t answer calls” - the seafarer noted.

Such actions of the employer made the seafarers to seek assistance from the Union. The case was taken over by ITF Inspector in Novorossiysk Olga Ananina.

The seafarer added that he is in touch with the crew. “If there had been a detention, then the vessel would have been brought to the port, instead the m/v Zhibek Zholy is still at the anchorage along  other ships” - the seafarer stressed.

“There was a surveyor on board, he did his job. This is standard practice, nothing extraordinary happens. As soon as weather conditions allow the vessel  to enter the port she will start unloading. I think it will happen in the next few days."

Source: Southern Territorial Organization of  SUR