The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has banned the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Agia Sofia from Australian ports for six months, as some crew had not been paid their wages in full.
AMSA inspected the ship at Hay Point in Mackay on Saturday 25 July 2020 after receiving a complaint via the International Transport Workers’ Federation.
During the inspection AMSA discovered evidence that some seafarers on board the ship had not been paid their wages in full since August 2019.
The outstanding wages total about AUD $45,000 and are breaching the rights of seafarers as per their employment agreements under the Maritime Labour Convention.
AMSA has taken steps to make sure that the seafarers onboard have been paid in full before the ship leaves Australia. AMSA has confirmed with the ship that this has occurred.
AMSA Acting General Manager Operations Michael Drake noted it wasn’t the first time this company, had been caught underpaying crew in Australian waters.
In January 2018 AMSA detained another company ship, Koundouros, at Port Walcott for owing its seafarers more than AUD $7500
Mr. Drake said.
Mr. Drake said seafarers were making enormous sacrifices right now by being away for extended periods of time from their loved ones, just to keep critical global trade moving.
We do not tolerate that in Australian waters and Agia Sofia is now the third ship in the last 12 months to be banned by AMSA for failing to pay seafarers their wages in full and on time
