Madras High Court Orders Ship Arrest

The Madras High Court has ordered the arrest of a Panama-flagged ship for non-payment of wages for several months and for forcing the crew to work on a ship whose sea worthiness was questionable. 

The Turkish-owned bulk carrier Karaagac was detained by Port State Control in Chennai Port on Friday, and the arrest was ordered on Saturday, IMO’s International Day of the Seafarer.

Local media reports that the crew had not been paid for the last three months. The International Transport Workers Federation has been involved in the case along with Manoj Joy, a chaplain with Sailors’ Society.

The ship, built in 2006, arrived in India on Wednesday from Chittagong and was reported to have problems with its ballast system, water ingress system, fire alarm, navigational equipment and rescue boat. Crew members’ have claimed that their lives have been put at risk and that injuries have occurred.