Australia hits Shandong Shipping bulker with one year ban for underpaying crew

In the latest vessel ban by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) for breaking the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) the authorities acted on information from the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF).

Boarding the Hong Kong-flagged, Shandong Hai Wang, in Gladstone on 7 July AMSA surveyors found evidence that crew had been delibrately underpaid by AUD56,000 based on their employment agreements.

The vessel was immediately detained for breaking the MLC. The bulker was detained until it was confirmed the crew had been paid the outstanding wages on 12 July when the ship was released and banned from Australian ports for 12 months.

It is the fourth vessel this year that has been banned from Australian port for underpaying crew and AMSA warns that the next ship caught doing so will face harsher penalities.

“Ships visiting Australian ports are put on notice. The next ship we find deliberately and repeatedly underpaying its crew and attempting to deceive authorities, can expect an even more severe penalty than that handed to the Shandong Hai Wang,” said AMSA’s General Manager of Operations, Allan Schwartz

The Shandong Hai Wang is operated by Qilu Ship Management.