‘Seamen paid less than €1 an hour’

MERCHANT seamen on a ship which was prevented from leaving Belfast port were being paid less than the equivalent of €1 an hour, according to the International Transport Federation (ITF).

The ITF revealed this week how it had secured back-pay for the seamen and was out to expose shipping operators paying crew members less than €2 per hour, wherever they operate.

The Filipino crew of the Naxos, which is owned by Jinyang Shipping in Korea, had refused to leave Belfast because of bad working conditions and arrears that were initially thought to amount to $500,000 (about €376,000). The crew had claimed the vessel was leaking in heavy seas, and its poor condition was confirmed by Belfast port authorities who refused to let it sail.