Breaking News: Crew of Irish Ferry Paid

Ken Fleming, one of two International Transport Workers Federation inspectors on the ship, has just reported that the owners of the MERCHANT BRILLIANT, the ferry anchored off Heysham at the centre of a bitter dispute, have paid the owed wages and he has passed the money to crew members.

He stated: “This is the first major step in settling this ugly dispute and putting it behind us. The next step is to get all the crew members on their way home. My gut feeling is that, while there can be hiccups with that kind of undertaking, the company will honour their commitments.”

The ITF say there is still no fixed time for the ship to dock at Heysham, where the port authorities have signalled that a berth will be made available when a replacement crew – believed to be still flying in from Russia – arrives.

Ken Fleming commented: “We appeal to the port to let us in. Once the ship is berthed the whole crew, who have been stuck out at sea for four days, won’t be needed. We are asking the port authorities to do the decent thing and let us get to dry land. Then we’ll bring this sorry affair to peaceful end.”