New Delhi: Crew members on board Iranian oil tanker Crystal have stopped unloading in India’s Mangalore port in protest over non-payment of salaries, three sources said on Wednesday.
While it was unclear why the salaries had not been paid, Western sanctions, particularly from the United States and European Union, have sliced Iran’s oil revenues and squeezed its financing. India was already paying for almost half of crude purchases in rupees and from 6 February, tighter measures have made it tougher for Iran to repatriate any funds from oil sales.
Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd managing director P. P. Upadhya said six crew members are on strike, although he didn’t give a reason.
“About three-fourths of the vessel was unloaded and they are neither discharging the remaining cargo nor going back. But talks are in progress,” Upadhya told Rëuters.
A shipping source said there are six Ukrainian crew members on board the Crystal, who had told him they have not been paid for as long as four months. The source added that the crew members are refusing to accept payment in rupees.
“They have unloaded only 70-80% of the cargo but they refused to unload the remainder because of salary issues,” the shipping source said.