Things are finally looking up for an arrested grain ship in the Port of Tauranga and the unpaid crew on board.

Union intervention has obtained some of the missing back-pay, and the repatriation of some of the men stranded on board for more than a month without visas is underway.

Lancelot V, under arrest at Tauranga

The Greek-owned and Panama registered Lancelot V was arrested by the charterer in Auckland in May, stranding the crew who have been forced to remain on board with dwindling supplies.

Once the Auckland dispute was settled, the ship came to Tauranga to complete the discharge. But the dispute resurfaced, says Port of Tauranga operations manager Phil Julian, who told SunLive the port is not involved in the wrangle and is merely providing parking space.

Offers of food were made to the 22 men on board, but it was not needed, says International Transport Workers' Federation New Zealand (ITF) inspector Grahame McLaren.

'They have got food now,” says Grahame. 'There was a bit of a shortage there for a while but now the court has taken over, food is not an issue.

'At one stage one of our guys in Tauranga went on board, had a look in the fridges and sent me some pictures.”

The images revealed seven apples, two oranges, a couple of bags of rice and some tinned meat and fish. However, after badgering by the maritime unions, the ship's principles sent through $US10,000 and the cupboards were restocked.

There were originally 22 men on board, but that number is now down to 18, says Grahame. Some of the men who have been on board the longest, plus a man with an eye injury, have already been repatriated.

'Home for most of them is the Ukraine,” says Grahame. 'I think there's a couple of Filipinos, a Russian and I think the cook was Greek. I believe he's one of the ones who has gone home.”

Extensive representations to the embassies of the Russian, Ukrainian and Filipino crew members garnered little response, but following a hearing in the High Court last week, US$23,000 in interim wages was obtained to be distributed amongst the crew for the time being.

The ITF is seeking the prompt repatriation of all crew members to their home countries once the remaining back pay claims, estimated to be more than US$100,000, have been resolved and the crew are paid at ITF rates by the charterer in the meantime.

'We had some good news last night,” says Grahame. 'The Greek owners are totally incommunicado - not just with us but with most everyone else as well.

'As late as yesterday we believed the ship was going to be sold because the owners had walked away, but we found out through the lawyer that the owners have sat down with the charterers in London and they are brokering a deal to get the ship sorted out and away.

'We have told them under no circumstances will the ship be departing New Zealand until the crew are paid what they are owed and the ones who want to go home can go home.”

The charter is Rotterdam-based Grain Corp, says Grahame.

Maritime Union officials first visited the Lancelot V at Auckland in May following complaints that crew members had not been repatriated to their home countries after their contracts expired.

There were also reported problems with pay, which was well below International Labour Organisation minimum standards.

A port state inspection in Auckland by Maritime New Zealand revealed defects to several cranes.

The ship then sailed to Tauranga where she was arrested by her charterers for breach of the charterparty. Lancelot V was also detained by Maritime New Zealand when her annual classification society certificates expired.

Crew visas also expired during this time, forcing them to remain on board as virtual prisoners until Immigration New Zealand issued temporary visas. Crew wages were also stopped about two months previously.

'The problems with the ship are a result of the deregulated shipping industry where ‘flag of convenience' shipping has undermined safety and standards,” adds Grahame.

'These ships of shame are coming into New Zealand ports, they are ripping off their crews and creating a health and safety hazard in ports and on the New Zealand coast.”