Madras high court orders Korean ship's seizure

CHENNAI: The Madras high court on Wednesday ordered the arrest of a Korean ship on the outer anchorage of Chennai port.
The 14-member crew of MV OSM Arena, including its Korean captain had approached the court petitioning against non-payment of their salaries since the ship anchored off the Chennai coast in February 2010. The crew members, nine Koreans and five Myanmarese, had been supplies from the land with the help of Madras Port Trust Employees Union.Two Koreans and two Myanmar nationals, however, left for their native lands in September last year.
A Korean Consulate official visited the Chennai port last Friday to hear out the Korean crew members. International Transport Workers' Federation inspector and Madras Port Trust Employees' Union assistant secretary K Sreekumar said the ship could not move out of Chennai's outer anchorage since February last year following a Kolkata court order after the cargo owner complained of non-discharge of cargo.
More than 80 sailors have been stranded on board five vessels on the outer anchorage of Chennai port for several months due to disputes.