The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) said that a number of seafarers on a Panama-flagged vessel worked more than 11 months on board the vessel, the maximum allowed under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) and vessels flagged to Panama.

These included five seafarers working on board for 12 months , two seafarers working on board for 14 months and three seafarers working on board for more than 15 months, including the captain of the ship.

“Following the detention of the vessel by Australian Maritime Safety Authority at our urging, five crew will be repatriated from Melbourne to the Philippines, including the captain and a number of engineers. The ship is not permitted to leave port until the company gets these tired and fatigued seafarers home and replaced by fresh crew,” said Matt Purcell, ITF Assistant Coordinator for Australia.

Purcell said the ship owner's officers, World Marine Company Japanese managing companies and WSS Shipping Agencies, sought to discourage union inspectors from coming aboard to inspect the crew 's health.

He added that the agents of the ship's owner were trying to use Covid-19 as an excuse to stop him from coming onboard.

Maritime Business World