Maritime Labor Convention

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Underpaid crew, faked books, banned from Australia

SEPTEMBER 14, 2017 — The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has banned the 81,920 dwt, 2014-built Panama flagged bulk carrier DL Carnation for 12 months after the vessel was discovered keeping two

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European Commission moves to improve seafarers’ welfare

JULY 28, 2017 — The European Commission is proposing that an agreement between the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) and the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) — in eurospeak “the social partners

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Why EU Directive on Seafarers’ Rights needs a fix

DECEMBER 13, 2016 — An EU Directive on seafarers’ rights could well soon fail to reflect the latest requirements of the international Maritime Labor Convention. European shipowners (ECSA) and the European Transport

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Paris MOU plans labor convention crack down

JULY 28, 2016 — The Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Port State Control is to launch a Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on the Maritime Labor Convention, 2006 (MLC,2006). The aim of

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Bulker can’t leave Australia until crew gets paid

The MV Apellis is operated by Piraeus, Greece, headquartered Pyrsos Shipping Co Ltd and chartered by Hudson Shipping Lines.

All Australian registered and foreign flagged vessels within Australian waters must comply with the standards set out in the Maritime Labor Convention (MLC) of 2006. Any vessel which is found to be in breach of the MLC or other Australian standards will be detained by AMSA and repeat offenders risk being banned from Australian waters.

AMSA inspected the vessel at Esperance grain jetty after receiving a complaint from the International Transport Workers Federation raising concerns about the welfare of the crew. Once on board, the AMSA surveyor discovered a number of deficiencies including:

  • Seafarers not being repatriated as required by their employment agreements;
  • Seafarers not being provided a monthly account of wages for the month of August;
  • One crew member found to working beyond medical restrictions;
  • No working washing machine in crew laundry;
  • Inadequate quality or nutritional value of food;
  • Seafarers not paid monthly as required by their employment agreements.

The vessel has been detained on the matter of non-payment of wages.

The MV Apellis will remain under detention by AMSA until this deficiency is rectified.

AMSA’s General Manager of Ship Safety, Allan Schwartz, said that the proper treatment of seafarers is just as important as the proper maintenance of ships’ equipment – a failure in either system can lead to serious accidents.

“All ships in Australian waters need to comply with Australian standards,” Mr. Schwartz said. “Seafarers live difficult lives often spending many months at sea away from their families and friends.”

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First year of MLC brings 113 Paris MoU detentions

NOVEMBER 17, 2014 — The Maritime Labor Convention (MLC, 2006) came into force August 20, 2013. By the time of its first anniversary, countries signatory to the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on

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German owned box ship banned from Australian ports

AUGUST 29, 2014 — The Australian Maritime Safety Agency (AMSA) has issued a direction to the containership Vega Auriga (IMO 9347786) that prohibits the ship from using or entering any Australian ports