NATIG ALIYEV

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Latest news

ITF helps Russian crew a second time

For the second time, the ITF has helped a Russian crew anchored south of Skagen in Denmark. After months of wrangling, $324,370 in unpaid wages have now been paid to the crew of 19 from the Turkish/Russian tanker Natig Aliyev. Danish authorities have now released the ship which had been at anchor for around eight months. The owed wages were paid by the new charterer of the ship, said a spokesperson for the Danish labor organization CO-Sea. “This is the second time within six months that ITF has had to put its foot down to ensure payment of the ship’s crew, and it is the third time within a year that the same Turkish/Russian shipping company, Palmali Shipping, has been caught red-handed in Denmark violating the international convention to secure the rights of seafarers, the MLC,” asserts the organization.

New charter found after eight months at anchor

After eight months at anchor, a new charterer has paid wages to the 19 crew members on the 'Natig Aliyef'. The ship has left the Danish waters after having been morred more than seven months in Aalbæk Bay, and headed to Tallinn, ETA Sep 30. The ship has been under arrest since February, The arrest was triggered by the Eiger Shipping - a subsidiary of the Lukzil oil giant Lukoil. Lukoil had chartered the 'Natig Aliyev' in 2015 and handed the ship to Palmali before the expiration of the agreed time. Eiger Shipping had paid bunkers fir the ship, and in addition had prepaid wages for the ship's crew for a limited period. Several of the 16 Russian and three Ukrainian crew members have not been paid since. With ITF as an intermediary, a new charterer of the ship has now paid out what amounts to 2.6 million Danish crowns, which the crew benefited.

New crew has not been paid since months too

19 Russian crew members of the "Natig Aliyev" which has been moored in Aalbæk Bay since February 7, 2018, have not been paid for five months. After the ship was arrested because of bank debts and unpaid wages for the crew, the ITF, together with Danish organizations, arranged for the crew to get food and drinks on board. Subsequently the crew was replaced, but now it turned out that the new crew also has not been paid. A pledge from the owner, Turkish shipman Palmali to pay the salary by July 17, was not respected and the crew was deeply frustrated. The company has now promised that the salary will be paid on Aug 1. The International Transport Workers' Union ITF is prepared to go into the case, but the crew is not yet prepared to give the trade union the power to act on behalf of the company, which is a prerequisite to go into the case.