Jun.06--A SRI Lankan shipping company that leased Sri Lanka's only cargo vessel, the Lankan Mahaphola, which is currently detained in Durban Harbour over a wage dispute and safety regulations, has agreed to pay the disgruntled 26-man crew.
    Durban attorney Nalini Maharaj, who is acting on behalf of the owner of Triple S Shipping, said the wage dispute would be settled and criminal charges against 13 of the crew members would be withdrawn, according to the Durban Daily News. The 13 men were arrested for allegedly stealing scrap metal from the ship but the crew members told their lawyer, Struan Mundell, that it was common practice to sell the ship's scrap metal, with the captain's permission, in order to make some pocket money.
    The crew claimed they were owed wages totalling US$85 000 for approximately three months, and had been working in poor conditions on board the vessel. They alerted the International Transport Workers' Federation, which led to a Durban High Court order for a maritime lien - the attachment of a ship as property in lieu of debt.
    Triple S Shipping leased the ship from its Sri Lankan owner, Ceylon Shipping Corporation, which told a newspaper in Sri Lanka that Triple S Shipping was responsible for the crew and the cargo on board.
    The vessel was detained in Durban Harbour since its arrival on May 17 and the South African Maritime Safety Authority officials were on board the ship when they too detained the ship for not adhering to international safety standards.
    The authority's CEO, Sobantu Tilayi, said the vessel was in a very bad state and did not have valid certifications. He also said there was a big hole on the bow of the vessel and that the vessel would not be allowed to leave the harbour until it had complied with international safety standards. The crew had claimed they were at sea for 20 days without electricity to power the ship's lights.
    Mr Mundell, a South African maritime lawyer who is acting on behalf of the federation and the crew, said the men had complained to him that it had been an ordeal, including the ship having drifted at sea while they were trying to repair an engine.
    The federation's local representative, Sprite Zungu, said after a meeting that the company had agreed to settle and pay the crew's wages. "They have to pay and repatriate the crew. The biggest problem is paying the crew," he said. "Once this is done, the owner would have to try to negotiate a contract with the crew to sail back home with the ship. I have also told them to withdraw the criminal charges against the crew."

(Source:shippingazette)