Union blocks ship until workers get €56k in wages

THE International Transport Federation has given the owners of a Russian ship tied up in New Ross until today to pay its crew more than €56,000 in owed wages otherwise it will seek the arrest of the ship.

The Blankanese, a 4,400 ton bulk freighter, arrived into the Wexford port on Thursday carrying a shipment of fertiliser.

The International Transport Federation’s inspector for Ireland SIPTU official Ken Fleming had received a tip-off from the Seafarers Union of Russia that some of the 10 crew onboard had not received wages since August 2010.