Clause 56

Except as provided by this Act or any other written law, the wages due to a seaman under a crew agreement relating to a ship shall be paid to him in full at the time when he leaves the ship on being discharged therefrom (in this section and section 57 referred to as the time of discharge).

If the amount shown in the account delivered to a seaman under section 57(1) as being the amount payable to him under subsection (1) is replaced by an increased amount shown in a further account delivered to him under section 57(3), the balance shall be paid to him within 7 days of the time of discharge.

If any amount which, under subsection (2), is payable to a seaman is not paid at the time at which it is so payable, the seaman shall be entitled to wages at the rate last payable under the crew agreement for every day on which it remains unpaid until the full amount is paid.

Subsection (3) shall not apply if the failure to pay was due to any reasonable dispute as to liability or to the act or default of the seaman or to any other cause, not being the wrongful act or default of the person liable to pay his wages or of his employee or agent.

Where a seaman is employed under a crew agreement relating to more than one ship, this section shall have effect, in relation to wages due to him under the agreement, as if for any reference to the time of discharge there were substituted a reference to the termination of his employment under the crew agreement.

Where a seaman is discharged under section 55, from a ship outside his port of return but returns to that port under arrangement made by the person who employed him, this section shall have effect, in relation to the wages due to him under a crew agreement relating to the ship, as if for the references in subsections (1) to (3) to the time of discharge there were substituted references to the time of his return to that port and subsection (5) were omitted.