Backpay for Meugang 1 crew

THE crew of the Panama-flagged cargo vessel Meugang 1, which had been abandoned at Santander , Spain, has received outstanding wages backdated to October last year, following intervention by the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and two of its Spanish affiliates ELA-hainbat and the local branch of CCOO.

According to ITF the new owner last week paid the seafarers’ claim in full – euros187,000 (US$264,000) to cover wages up to 11 September.

Twenty-four of the seafarers were repatriated to their home countries – Cameroon and Ghana - last Friday. Meanwhile, the ship’s captain remains in the seafarers’ centre in Santander, where he is receiving medical assistance; he will be repatriated once he has finished receiving treatment.

“We are glad that we have been able to help the seafarers to achieve a satisfactory outcome. We hope that this will go some way to alleviate the harsh conditions they have had to suffer on board this vessel,” said ITF inspector Mohamed Arrachedi.

ITF says that the new owner has replaced the crew with seven Russian seafarers; however, it is unlikely that the vessel will resume normal operations until repairs have been carried out.