12-month ship bans could solve crew neglect: ITF

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has applauded the recent decision taken by Australian authorities to ban a Chinese bulker from calling Down Under for 12 months, saying such stringent measures could stamp out cases of crew neglect.

Splash reported last week how the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) had banned the Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier Shandong Hai Wang for one year from Australian waters after it was discovered that crew had been deliberately underpaid.

ITF seafarers’ section chair and joint chair of the ITF fair practices committee, Dave Heindel, said: “We wholeheartedly welcome this action by the AMSA. This is the kind of enforcement that seafarers deserve from all authorities in all countries at all times. Only when unscrupulous shipowners know that there is nowhere to hide will we start to see an end to the gross exploitation of seafarers.”

ITF dockers’ section chair and joint chair of the ITF fair practices committee, Paddy Crumlin, said: “Well done to the ITF inspectors who played a key role in alerting the AMSA to this shocking case. And well done to the AMSA for taking such swift and decisive action. We urge other port state authorities to follow this example and enforce the ILO maritime labour convention the same way. The ITF will continue to praise authorities who do a good job in protecting seafarers and shame those who do not.”