Australia bans bulk carrier for MLC violations

Posted in Maritime Security by Raghib Raza

Oct 07, 2021 at 07:56.

Singapore flagged bulk carrier WESTERN CALLAO has been banned from the Australian ports for six months after the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) found repeated violations made by the company, Bright Star Ship Management.

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Following a complaint related to repatriation and underpayment, AMSA inspected the vessel on 6 September 2021 at Port Adelaide. AMSA officials found that the company had failed to meet the employment deal with as many as 13 seafarers onboard and owed approximately $29,000 collectively to the seafarers. During the inspection, it was also found that some seafarers were onboard for the last 12 months, and despite several commitments, the repatriation was not arranged by the company.

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Concerning several breaches of the Maritime Labor Convention (MLC), AMSA detained the vessel and directed the ship management company to clear the outstanding wages of the seafarers on board. Later the vessel was allowed to sail to Brisbane for crew change and only after the outstanding wages were cleared, AMSA permitted the ship to depart. WESTERN CALLAO sailed to Indonesia and is not permitted to return to any Australian Ports for the next six months.

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Speaking on the matter, Michael Drake, Executive Director of Operations, AMSA said that it was not the first time that Bright Star Shipmanagement was found violating the MLC. He explained that AMSA had inspected WESTERN CALLAO in July 2020 and found eight seafarers on board for more than 11 months, whereas another vessel of the company Furness Southern Cro had 19 seafarers on board for more than 14 months. Michael added that finding a third ship with such serious violations of MLC made them take serious actions against the ship operator