'Sartor' (ex Malaviya Seven): Ship at centre of wages controversy to return to sea after a year in Aberdeen harbour

Ship at centre of wages controversy to return to sea after a year in Aberdeen harbour
Lee McCann 20/01/2018 https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/ship-stuck-at-harbour-for...

A ship that has been detained in the North-east for more than a year is expected to leave next week.

A new crew is expected to depart Aberdeen Harbour on the vessel formerly known as the Malaviya Seven.

The boat – now renamed the Sartor – was first detained in June 2016, and again in October, after a routine inspection revealed the Indian ship’s crew had not received wages over many months.

New crew members are expected to arrive on Monday.

The 12 Indian sailors working on the ship were unable to return to their families in Mumbai due to fears that they could forfeit the £612,000 owned to them by the ship’s owners GOL Offshore, an Indian company.

The sailors had told harrowing tales of how their families were forced to turn to begging and money lenders to keep themselves afloat while their husbands were not being paid.

In September, permission was granted by Aberdeen Sheriff Court to sell the vessel to recoup the wages owed to the crew, prompting half of them to fly home.

But after an auction in October only resulted in bids far below the money required to pay the men, doubts were cast on whether or not the rest would be able to leave.

However, an offer was accepted in November by the courts, which will be enough to pay the men their wages.

It is understood that court proceedings have held up the payment of wages owed to the crew.

Howard Drysdale, manager at the Aberdeen Seafarers Centre, who has been helping the crew, said he was delighted the sailors were back with their families.

He said: “The ship was renamed in December and will have a totally new crew.

“With the new ownership and crew, it is expected the ship will leave the harbour next week. The crew have all gone home now and when they were here I got to know them really well so I am absolutely delighted for them.

“Working at the Seafarers we see hundreds of vessels come into port at Aberdeen Harbour.

“The Malaviya Seven has played a huge part in the Seafarers Centre for the past 18 months.

“It just goes to show that rogue employers are out there, it is estimated that around 30% of crews worldwide are owed wages and it is something you’d never see happen onshore.”

The case is expected to call again at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on January 31 to inform all parties of the sale.