The crew of a Russian cargo ship, which was impounded in China and loaned to another company, have refused to leave the vessel until arrears in salary have not been paid to them, the Russian sailors` trade union said Friday.

The Maksim Ammosov ship, owned by Russia`s Arctic Shipping Company, was impounded at the port of Yantai on December 23 for outstanding debts totaling $130,000.

The ship owner later leased the vessel to another shipping company under a bareboat charter deal, or "without a crew."

Seventeen Russian sailors, including two women, remain on board after having appealed to the Russian sailors` trade union for help.

"The sailors refuse to vacate the ship, until the owner pays them the arrears in salary totaling $38,000," said Nikolai Sukhanov, the head of the Far Eastern branch of the trade union.

Sukhanov said that the ship could be released by the end of January because the owner had paid off $80,000 out of $130,000 that it owes.

The trade union expects that the sailors would be paid either in China or upon their return to Russia.

According to Sukhanov, the Russian Transport Ministry officials and the Russian consul in Beijing monitor the development of the situation with the impounded ship.
sections: Society