The battle over a Middle Eastern-controlled offshore vessel whose crew were stranded off Mozambique has shifted to Durban, where the ship has been arrested.

The crew of 2,990-bhp anchor handling tug supply vessel PSD 2 (built 1983) now hope its auction will help raise cash to cover unpaid wages stretching back over 15 months.

Their plight came to light last October when the ship was languishing in Beira port, Mozambique.