There is an unexpressed sentiment in the shipping industry that payment for services supplied can be made in line with the revenue being generated by the venture. When freight rates are high and revenue is flowing generously, suppliers are paid on the nail. When rates are low, payment can be delayed until such time as there's money in the bank. There are many ways to delay payment, most of which are legal, many of which are ethical. And many of these tactics are used in paying crew wages. Trained and qualified seafarers are in short supply and are critical to the profitability of a venture. However, some owners and managers seem to believe that payment terms depend on revenue. Unpaid crew don't usually have the wherewithal to call in lawyers to detain a vessel and are afraid to complain about their circumstances; service companies are becoming masters of pushing for payment even as far as courts. Bunker suppliers, similarly, are plagued by slow payment, but owners, operators and managers can source their supplies elsewhere.
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