Eduard Bilyayev through Attorney and 4 others V. M.V. "Figaro" (Ex-Free Goddess) through Messrs Commercial Metal,
CLD 2022 1180 · Balochistan High Court
This case involved five crew members, including a ship's master and engineers, who sued to recover unpaid wages after working on the vessel M.V. Figaro (formerly Free Goddess). They argued that the company operating the ship was the beneficial owner and owed them months of outstanding salary, despite earlier guarantee letters promising payment.
However, by the time the case reached court, the ship had been sold to a new owner, M/s Commercial Metal, under a bill of sale showing the vessel was purchased free of all encumbrances through a leasing company. The new owner applied to have the lawsuit thrown out, arguing the crew could no longer pursue their claim against a ship they no longer owned, especially since the ship had since been demolished.
The Balochistan High Court upheld the rejection of the crew's lawsuit. It explained that under admiralty law, workers can file an "action in rem" - a lawsuit against the ship itself - to recover a maritime lien, such as unpaid wages, because such liens attach to the vessel. But this right requires meeting specific legal conditions, and it is extinguished once the ship is destroyed. Since the sale documents were never properly challenged when the suit was filed, and the ship had already been demolished, the court found the legal conditions for such a claim were not met, and dismissed the appeal.
This case matters because it clarifies how maritime wage claims interact with ship sales and the practical limits of pursuing claims against a vessel that no longer exists.
یہ مقدمہ عملے کے پانچ ارکان سے متعلق تھا، جن میں جہاز کا کپتان اور انجینئرز شامل تھے، جنہوں نے بحری جہاز ایم وی فیگارو (جو پہلے فری گاڈیس کے نام سے جانا جاتا تھا) پر کام کرنے کے بعد اپنی واجب الادا تنخواہوں کی وصولی کے لیے مقدمہ دائر کیا۔ ان کا موقف تھا کہ جہاز چلانے والی کمپنی اس کی حقیقی مالک تھی اور اس پر ان کی کئی ماہ کی بقایا تنخواہ واجب الادا تھی، باوجود اس کے کہ ادائیگی کی ضمانت کے خطوط پہلے ہی دیے جا چکے تھے۔
تاہم جب تک یہ مقدمہ عدالت تک پہنچا، جہاز ایک نئے مالک، میسرز کمرشل میٹل، کو فروخت کیا جا چکا تھا، اور بیع نامے کے مطابق یہ جہاز ایک لیزنگ کمپنی کے ذریعے تمام بوجھ (encumbrances) سے آزاد خرید کیا گیا تھا۔ نئے مالک نے مقدمہ خارج کرنے کی درخواست دی، یہ دلیل دیتے ہوئے کہ عملہ اب ایسے جہاز کے خلاف اپنا دعویٰ جاری نہیں رکھ سکتا جس کا وہ اب مالک نہیں، خاص طور