Les Hommes du Labici B.

From Calais, the 82-metre long cargo ship, the Labici B, sets out, flying the colours of Saint-Vincent, a small tax-free Caribbean island. Mirfak, who owns the vessel is a small Dutch company and Sucden is the French charterer. A voyage to Bejaia, in Algeria, to deliver 3 300 tonnes of sugar. An eight-day crossing if the currents are favourable. A routine trip, one might think, but troubles lies ahead… The ship has already been seized several times in Algeria and France, and the crew go through four weeks of bitter fighting to obtain four months’ unpaid salary, before agreeing to set sail again. Each time the vessel is seized, the penalty is heavier than before. During this risky trip, how will the captain cope with his responsibility of defending the conflicting interests of the crew and the shipowner? How will the eleven sailors share these difficult times? And what support can they expect from their trade union and from those in charge of their arrival at the port of destination?