A UK seafarers union has condemned what it describes as “modern slavery” as a supply vessel previously detained in the north-east was stopped again abroad for failing to pay the crew.
The Ben Nevis was detained in Aberdeen Harbour in October for trying to set sail while owning £150,000 to onboard workers.
It was eventually released from its berth in the Granite City port on October 30, after being impounded by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, for breaching maritime labour conventions.
It has since been seized by Dutch authorities in Rotterdam for further infringements, including the discovery that 15 crew members had not been paid since October.
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “This is further evidence, if it were needed, of the appalling crewing practices that continue to plague the European Continental Shelf offshore energy sector.”
Describing the workers as hostages due to their inability to leave the ship owing to their lack of funds, the union likened the situation to “modern-day slavery”.
Mr Cash added: “RMT is calling for due diligence practices to be significantly improved at every level of the supply chain in the offshore energy sector and greater dialogue between Government, trade unions and industry to red-flag rogue operators.
“These practices have no place in the 21st Century offshore energy sector; they must be outlawed and the crewing agents and others profiting from these abusive, ‘low cost’ practices must be exposed and prevented from tendering for supply chain contracts on any part of the European Continental Shelf.”
The ship’s Indian owner, Global Offshore Services, has been contacted for comment.
