The replacement is sent, but there is no money still

The vessel "Believe" (flag of Sierra Leone, IMO 9203708) has finished the loading it the port of Plastun and moved to the anchorage. The shipowner has sent a replacement to the whole crew, however, nothing has been said yet about the payment of the remaining  part of the outstanding wages.  This information is given by Nikolay Sukhanov, the Chairman of the Far Eastern Territorial Organization of the Seafarers' Union of Russia (SUR FETO).

The Union began to receive the first complaints from the crew in mid-March, when the debt of the company "New Marine Technologies" before the seafarers rose beyond  $70 000. Then the vessel was under way from Russia to Japan. Upon the arrival to the port Maizuru the seafarers with the assistance of the SUR appealed to the Port State Control inspectors;  ITF Japan Coordinator Fusao Ohori also got involved in dealing  this case. As a result, the shipowner paid the outstanding  wages owing until and including February 2017. However, after this case the crew began to doubt the integrity of the company. They feared  that upon the arrival to Russia and the signing-off, they would not get their wages for March and half of April.

Having returned  to the Russian port of Plastun, the seafarers sent a new statement to the SUR with a request to assist them in recovering the outstanding  wages. Also, the seafarers sought help with their repatriation. The shipowner has fulfilled the requirements partly: he has sent a replacement for the crew, but still he does not hurry to pay money.

"There are two crews on board now. The initial  crew assured the shipowner that they would not leave the vessel before receiving the outstanding wages for March and April in the amount of $20 000. The Harbour Master of the port Plastun supported the seafarers' demands and detained  the vessel" - Nikolay Sukhanov said. The Transport Prosecutor's Office of Nakhodka took this case under it's control. The vessel is going to be on the port anchorage until the shipowner pays off  the debt owed to the crew.