A Palmali Holding seafarer has begun a hunger strike on a tanker in Turkey in protest at a lack of wages.
The Russian chief officer is on board the 7,100-dwt product carrier Shovket Alekperova (built 2014), anchored off Istanbul.
According to a statement on the website of the Seafarers' Union of Russia (SUR), the tanker has been there since May.
Russian Captain Vadim Kayuchkin and 10 Azeri crew members also remain on board.
The ship's chef was recently replaced by Palmali, however, after serving 10 months on the tanker, SUR said.
No power on board
"The senior mate has been aboard the Shovket Alekperova for 13 months. He is not paid a salary," the union said.
According to Kayuchkin, the crew is cooking meals over a fire due to a lack of power.
"We stand de-energised, there is no water either," the master told SUR. "There are few products, but we can only cook over a fire."
Palmali spokesman Mahmoud Imansoy told local media that the crew will be changed in the near future.
The company has been contacted for further comment.
Palmali owner Mubariz Mansimov was arrested in Turkey in March. Turkish prosecutors have accused him of links to an outlawed organisation headed by Fethullah Gulen, an opponent of the country’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Allegations denied
In a response to the reports, Palmali said in June that "there is no evidence to support these false claims", which Mansimov "emphatically denies".
"Allegations that Mr Mansimov has been declared bankrupt or that the English [High] Court has issued an injunction against his personal assets are also false. Mr Mansimov has not been declared bankrupt by any court. Nor has an injunction has been made against Mr Mansimov," the company said.
Palmali said that on 28 April one of the company's lenders, Russia's Sberbank, obtained a freezing order against one company in the Palmali group, Palmali Holding Co (PHC).
Freezing order fought
Palmali disputes the validity of the freezing order and applied to the English High Court for the order to be set aside.
PHC does not own any vessels or other assets and the order does not affect the operation of Palmali's fleet or the rest of the Palmali group, the company added.
Reports that the group has debts of $900m are also incorrect, Palmali said.
Palmali sold six dry cargo vessels at the start of 2020 as part of a restructuring deal with a German lender, but no other ships have been sold or seized since then, the company said.
"Although Mr Mansimov is not able to lead the Palmali group personally at this time, the group is continuing to trade and operate as it has done previously despite the disruption caused by Mr Mansimov's arrest and the unprecedented challenges to the shipping market at this time," Palmali added.
