The Australian Maritime Safety Authority detained a Chinese-owned bulk carrier charted to transmit coal to Korea, at the port of Gladstone, as its crew members reported of tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid wages.
An ITF inspector boarded the vessel when it docked in Gladstone. The inspector found eight crew members from Myanmar stating that they were underpaid $8,000 dollars each during the past six months. Moreover, the men added that they were bullied and forced to work additional hours, which they weren’t getting paid for, and asked for assistance with being repatriated to Myanmar due to concerns for their safety if they remained on the vessel.
During the inspection, the ITF inspector discovered fraudulent documentation, along with two sets of books that were used to hide the wage theft and breaches of the Maritime Labour Convention.
In light of the findings, AMSA detained the vessel, commencing a full audit.
ITF assistant coordinator Matt Purcell commented
We carried out an inspection of the Fortune Genius as soon as it docked in Gladstone because the owner has previously been found in breach of the Maritime Labour Convention, which every shipping company in Australian waters needs to adhere to.
He added that AMSA has the obligation to investigate the Myanmar-based manning agents who recruited the crew into these employment arrangements, that ‘were not only exploitative, but a breach of international law.’
The Fortune Genius detained vessel is owned by the China-based Marine Fortune Union Company, managed by subsidiary New Fortune Genius Management Limited, and had been chartered by Korean company Five Ocean Corporation to transport coal from Gladstone to Taean.
Recently, ISWAN, in partnership with InterManager, ICS, ICMA and ITF, issued a new booklet providing guidance to welfare organisations dealing with incidents of seafarers being abandoned and vessels being arrested or detained.
