Dutch seafarers are fighting redundancy at German owner John T Essberger following the sale of three elderly tankers.
But the Hamburg-based owner has rejected union claims that overseas crew are being brought in to replace them.
The row erupted following the disposal of a Netherlands-flagged trio: the 3,000-dwt Alcedo (built 1999) and Ardea (built 2000), and the 4,400-dwt Dutch Faith (built 1996).
