The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has detained and banned the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Wooyang Venus from Australian ports for 90 days after AMSA inspectors found crew work and rest records had been deliberately falsified to mask excessive hours worked.
On Thursday, October 29, AMSA conducted a port State control inspection of Wooyang Venus in Newcastle following a Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC) complaint and found that work and rest records had been falsified and did not reflect the hours actually worked by crew on board.
Crewing and fatigue is a key compliance priority for AMSA, as outlined in the AMSA National Compliance Plan 2026-27.
Wooyang Venus has previously been detained twice by AMSA where falsified hours of work and rest were a contributing factor: in August 2026, after it found work and rest hours were not recorded and monitored correctly, and in December 2023, when it identified evidence of incorrect work and rest records.
Under the MLC, vessel owners and operators must meet minimum standards for seafarers’ living and working conditions, including requirements relating to hours of work and rest. AMSA said accurate records are essential to demonstrate minimum rest requirements are being met and fatigue is being effectively managed.
Greg Witherall, AMSA Executive Director Maritime Safety and Environmental Compliance, said deliberately falsifying records designed to protect seafarers was unacceptable and presented a significant risk to the safety of crew on board and protection of Australia’s marine environments.
"Evidence has shown poor fatigue management can impair judgement, reduce alertness and slow reaction times, increasing the likelihood of errors during navigation, watchkeeping and other critical tasks," said Mr Witherall. "The consequences can include collisions, groundings and serious injuries, putting lives and the marine environment in danger.
"Operators have clear obligations under the MLC. Where we find serious or repeated failures to meet those obligations, AMSA will take strong action to protect seafarers and the environment and uphold internationally-agreed standards."
AMSA issued the 90 days ban under section 246 of the Navigation Act 2012, based on the deliberate falsification, the recurrence of materially similar deficiencies and concerns about the effectiveness of the owner and operator’s safety management arrangements.
