Court order sought over Latvian ship

THE International Transport Federation is to seek a High Court order forcing a Latvian shipping company to pay thousands of euro in outstanding unpaid wages to its crew, as well as berthing costs which it is has been forced to pay to authorities in Cork.

The ITF had initially secured the arrest of the vessel after it arrived in Cork on March 3 owing its seven Ukrainian and two Russian crew up to €80,000 in unpaid wages.

The transport union affiliate’s intention was to sell the vessel if the owners, Forestry Shipping, in Riga, did not pay the money along with fines. However, the ITF said it was forced to de-arrest the vessel when Port State Control refused to let it move the ship to Dundalk where berthing fees are cheaper.