Logistics News

AMSA detains carrier over cargo risks

MUA says ‘exploitation’ while chartering company calls it a regretful failure to follow instructions

 

The detention of the Orient Becrux bulk carrier on Tuesday has raised further questions of the reach of Australia’s rules on flag-of-convenience ships being used for domestic transport journeys.

The Singapore-flagged ship was held up by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) for several hours after it became aware cargo had been unsecured at sea, before docking.

“The Orient Becrux was detained by AMSA surveyors in relation to issues identified with [its] Safety Management System and its non-compliance with cargo securing requirements,” an AMSA spokesperson tells ATN.

“Corrective action regarding the ship board procedures and cargo securing was required.”

The Orient Becrux was released from detention at around 10.30pm the same day and, according to shipping operator Pacific Basin, began its next scheduled journey to Port Lincoln on time.

The Australian coordinator of the International transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), Dean Summers, has accused Pacific Basin of putting the lives of workers at risk.

“In a worst-case scenario, the shifting cargo could have caused the ship to sink by compromising its stability,’ Summers says.

“There was also the potential for the ship to block the narrow shipping channel of the world’s busiest coal port.”

The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) went a step further, suggesting the company aimed to save money by arriving at the dock with cargo already unsecured by employees whose labour is cheaper than that of Australian stevedores.

“This is money grubbing of the worst kind,” a statement on its website says.

“In order to save a few dollars, you get an already exploited workforce to do work they’re not qualified to do, and risk everyone’s life in the process.”

Pacific Basin insists it did not ask its crews to unlash the cargo at sea.

“After receiving a message from the ITF highlighting restrictions on crew involvement in dock workers’ work, the ship’s owner sent specific instructions that unlashing of the cargo must be left for the local dock workers to carry out,” a spokesperson for the Hong Kong-based charterer tells ATN.

“It is regretful that the ship’s crew did not follow this instruction, and we have requested that the ship’s owner follow up on the matter to ensure there is no recurrence of such incidents.”

The Australian Government is currently considering changes to coastal shipping regulations that have been in place since 2012. Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss says the Coastal Trading Act has increased cargo costs and decreased overall shipping capacity in Australia.

The MUA warns that any relaxation of regulations will encourage more flag of convenience ships into the domestic shipping market. These will often have less-trained and lower-paid crews, and a greater potential for life and environment-threatening accidents.

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