A cargo ship on its voyage to Singapore had been blocking a Western Victorian port for more than a month. It will be moved aside on 7th January to allow a cruise ship to dock .
Once the cruise ship leaves the area, the cargo ship will return to its spot in the breakwater’s single. The cargos ship has hauled alumina from Western Australia to Alcoa’s aluminium smelting plant in Portland for 27 years, but Alcoa is looking to sell the ship and replace it with a foreign-flagged vessel to save on costs.
The Federal Court recently ruled that a special licence allowing Alcoa to replace the MV Portland and its 40 crew was valid. “The Turnbull Government should never have issued this temporary licence to Alcoa as it is contrary to the intent of existing legislation and they should cancel it immediately,” said MUA Assistant National Secretary Ian Bray.
Source: Theage
