A bulk carrier has been banned from entering the Australian ports for a period of six months since the vessel failed to pay outstanding wages to its crew members.
What happened?
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), banned the Bahamas flagged bulk carrier ‘MV Rena’ from entering the Australian ports for six months after the ship repeatedly failed to pay outstanding wages and maintain a safe workplace for its crew member.
Inspection carried out:
On June 30, AMSA allegedly received a complaint from the International Transport Workers Federation alleging the crew had not been paid their total wages for several months.
AMSA conducted a Port State Control inspection when the ship arrived at Hay Point in Queensland and on completion of the inspection AMSA issued the ship with a number of serious deficiencies including;
- Failure of the emergency generator to start;
- Failure of the lifeboat starting arrangements;
- Shortcomings in the safety management system (ISM); and
- Failure to pay crew the cash component of their wages which totaled about U.S.$53,000.
The emergency generator, lifeboat and safety management system deficiencies presented a clear risk to the health and safety of the crew, the ship and Australia’s marine environment.
Non-payment of wages and unsafe environment:
AMSA accused the owners that they have failed to pay crew their total wages and it was a clear and unacceptable breach of the Maritime Labor Convention 2006.
The ship had also been detained by AMSA earlier this year in February at Port Adelaide for a number of serious deficiencies, including crew working excess hours.
Vessel detained, warning issued:
The bulk carrier will be detained at Hay Point for 29 days until AMSA and the vessel’s flag state (Bahamas) received evidence that the crew had been paid their outstanding wages.
AMSA’s General Manager of Operations, Allan Schwartz, said that while the behavior of the ship’s owners gave AMSA considerable cause for concern, AMSA expressed appreciation to the Bahamas Maritime Authority for taking an active role in resolving the issues.
AMSA says that substandard ships are not welcome in Australian waters, and that it has banned the MV Rena from Australian ports for a period of six months. The ban will expire on February 3, 2018. If the ship returns to Australia after the ban expires and is detained again by AMSA for serious deficiencies, it may be subject to a further ban of 12 months.
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Source: Australian Maritime Safety Authority
