An industrial dispute which left seven striking Egyptian sailors stranded in Port Kembla for almost a week has come to an end.
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The crewmen were expected to catch a flight home from Sydney last night, pay packets in hand.
Maritime Union of Australia branch secretary Gary Keane, who helped broker the deal between the Wadi Alkarm's captain and its crew, said it was a great result.
"We're happy enough to have had the resolution, on the industrial side of it, that we set out to do," Mr Keane said.
The Wadi Alkarm has been docked off Wollongong since last Thursday night when 11 crew refused to continue sailing with the company, Egyptian-owned National Navigation Co.
They told Australian International Transport Workers' Federation representatives their wages had been halved and they had been prohibited from accessing food and water between 7pm and 7am daily.
While four men took the opportunity to fly home after the company offered plane tickets, the remaining seven told the company they wouldn't be going anywhere without wages.
Following industrial action, crew members complained company officials had been in contact with family members in Egypt and had made threats.
The dispute was tense, and Mr Keane said the ship's captain had agreed to hand over pay owed, but only on the condition they received it an hour before they were due to leave.
The boat will remain docked at Port Kembla until the company can send a replacement crew and fulfil minimum staff sailing requirements.
