I found the vessels badly maintained, with poor working conditions and very bad food. Cabins were in poor condition, portholes leaked during rain, sanitation was inadequate, and there was no proper refrigerated storage for provisions. Supplies and cash on board were lacking, and crew members were expected to improvise with equipment and provisions. Salary payments were unclear, amounts of $150, $300, or $500 were withheld with promises that everything would be paid to the card at the end of the contract, while other deductions and travel expenses further reduced the pay. The company also charged $300 for a Marshall Islands seaman's book and $70 for a medical examination, and did not respond when employees asked about missing money.
I worked for Novelty as a second engineer. My contract was about four months, but the company would not arrange a crew change at four months and said it could not happen before five months. The crew manager did not respond to my questions about the relief date or plans. Russian crew members were not allowed to receive any advance, while Filipino crew members could receive up to $500 under their contracts. The crew was also not paid for two days in a high-risk area, and my question about this remained unanswered. My salary was supposed to be transferred in euros, but it was sent in dollars to a euro account, resulting in a 50% bank fee; the bank refunded it as a one-time exception.