Following complaints around the underpayment seafarers, The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has banned a Liberian-flagged oil tanker from the country's ports.
The tanker, AG Neptune, will be banned for six months due to wage arrears totalling AUD $123,000, owed to 21 seafarers.
The discovery by AMSA came during an inspection of the tanker on 17 June, and the ship has since been detained for multiple breaches of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). Further to the wage payments, the inspection found the food and drinking water available to seafarers onboard were not of a suitable standard.
It was also reported that one seafarer was not given sufficient medical treatment after an injury.
The operator of the ship has been ordered to pay the outstanding wages, and to address the other issues onboard.
'Australia has zero tolerance for the underpayment of crew. This type of behaviour is unethical and in contravention to the MLC. The international conventions that protect seafarers' rights are very clear,' said Michael Drake, AMSA’s Executive Director of Operations.
'Ships visiting Australian ports are on notice that if we find deliberate underpaying of crew they can expect penalties.'
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