The High Court granted a ship's arrest against a cargo ship over claims that $204,000, or €153,788, is owed to the 20 man crew of Latvians and Russians.
International Transport Federation inspector Ken Fleming succeeded in his application for a ship's arrest against the Merchant Brilliantthis afternoon, in a similar case to one involving its sister ship, Merchant Bravery, last week.
The order was granted by Judge Liam McKechnie in the Admiralty Division of the High Court.
Mr Fleming, who is on secondment to the ITF from Siptu said the case was almost a "carbon copy" of the situation on the Bravery.
"When I arrived on board the Merchant Brilliantthis morning, the crewing agency attempted to evict the crew and when that failed they attempted to leave Dublin port. Fortunately Norfolk Lines, who had chartered the ro-ro vessel, withdrew their pilot," he said.
"I understand that the crewing agency is still attempting to find a pilot in the port and I am on my way down there now to ensure the court's order is enforced. These people have a clear choice of obeying the law or continuing their efforts to frustrate it."
"If they want to remove the vessel from Dublin they can do so by honouring their debts to the crew or successfully challenging the 'arrest' of the vessel in the courts. I know from an inspection of the ship's records just how likely a legal challenge is to be successful," MrFleming added.
Following intensive negotiations and a threat to seize the Merchant Braveryin Dublin Port on December 1st, four Russian seafarers were paid €49,900 in arrears, plus over €3,000 euros in expenses and fares home.
Last week, a further 19 Russian and Latvian crew members were given back pay totalling €122,971. The average payment was just over €5,000.
Siptu and the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) became involved after claims emerged last month that Eastern European workers aboard the vessel were earning just €2 per hour.
Crew members on the Braverywere reportedly hired and told their pay would be lodged in accounts at home. However, Mr Fleming claimed earlier this month that they had later discovered "little or nothing had been paid after they were discharged".
"This sort of behaviour by crewing agencies, or other marine employers, will not be tolerated on the Irish Sea. This is exploitation on a level reminiscent of a Jack London novel from the early 1900s," he said in statement today.