Maritime NZ detained the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Daiwan Justiceon Saturday, March 2, at Lyttelton after a complaint the crews’ wages had not been paid for almost four months.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation alerted Maritime NZ to the situation. Maritime NZ Southern Regional Compliance Manager Michael Vredenburg said the detention was lifted later on Saturday after the ship’s operator, Taiwanese company, Wisdom Marine International Limited, paid the crew.

Last year Daiwan Fortune, another Wisdom Marine International ship, was also detained. In both cases, Maritime NZ detained the ship until wages were paid.

Vredenburg said Maritime NZ is now considering what compliance actions may be taken against Wisdom Marine International. Information about the detentions has been shared with other Asia-Pacific countries’ maritime authorities as part of the Tokyo MOU.

Source: Maritime Executive