A ship blocked by striking dockers was due to set sail four days late from Sligo port for Spain last night following High Court intervention.
The Greta, the target of pickets since Thursday, was loaded with its cargo of recycled scrap yesterday after a special sitting of the court in Dublin on Saturday evening.
Mr Justice Michael Peart granted the ship's agents, Cermar, an interim injunction banning the dockers, members of Siptu, from preventing the loading process.
Dockers who returned to the picket line yesterday withdrew after discussion with port authorities, and the loading restarted.
A full hearing of the case is scheduled for the court on Thursday. It is a case that could have a bearing on future work practices on Sligo docks.
Seven men claim they are owed €24,000 for previous shipments by the cargo owners Erin Recyclers, of Kinlough, Co Leitrim. The company denies this.
The dockers claim the company reneged on a deal to pay them to be available for work although they are not qualified to operate the cranes and other machinery used by the cargo owners.
The union says the agreement was for payment for availability for other tasks, apart from operating the machinery. A spokesman for the ship's agents said there was no contractual arrangement with the dockers.
Siptu's Sligo branch secretary John McCarrick said: "Once the interim injunction was served, our members had no option but to permit the loading to go ahead." He added: "We intend to pursue our claim at the full hearing in the High Court this week.
"The case has taken on added importance. It's no longer just about our dispute with this company. You could say it will have relevance for future work arrangements at the port."