The crew have been stranded in Aberdeen, Scotland for over a year.
A sheriff in the city ruled on 10 August that the crew have the right to sell the vessel to recoup their owed wages – agreed at USD867,000 (£672,000) – but added that he wanted a report on the ship’s value first. ITF inspectors said this was unprecedented in their experience because the claim of the crew takes priority.
Watch the BBC news report.
Ken Fleming, ITF co-ordinator Great Britain & Ireland, said: “This decision will delay the men’s return home. They have had no wages for a year and they and their families are experiencing great financial and emotional hardship.
“I’m pleased, however, that the auctioneer is already on his way to conduct his analysis of the vessel’s worth, and hope that his report can be presented to the sheriff as quickly as possible.
“What these men and their families have endured is a scandal that shames the maritime industry.”
The ITF has supported the crew from the start. A routine ITF inspection in June 2016 revealed that 15 of the mainly Indian seafarers had gone unpaid for four months. Efforts by inspectors to recover in full the men’s owed wages were unsuccessful, so in March 2017, the ITF arrested the ship on behalf of the crew. While waiting for last week’s court hearing to take place, the ITF has continued to visit and support the crew with basic needs such as food and water.
The ITF also helped the crew of the Seven’s sister ship, the Malaviya Twenty, which was detained in Great Yarmouth, England. In February 2017, the men were able to return home, with their pay. Read more.
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