Decision to ban vessel from Australian ports affirmed by AAT

An Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) decision to ban the China-owned, Panama-flagged bulk carrier Fortune Genius from entering or using an Australian port for a period of 12 months has been affirmed by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT).

AMSA surveyors boarded the vessel in Gladstone on September 5, 2019 after receiving a complaint via the International Transport Workers’ Federation.

The vessel was subsequently detained after AMSA’s investigation revealed the crew had been deliberately underpaid by the operator for consecutive months totalling approximately $100,000, and used two sets of wage accounts in order to deceive authorities.

In his decision, AAT Deputy President Constance agreed with AMSA that such contraventions of the Maritime Labour Convention are extremely serious, and that banning the vessel was appropriate in the circumstances.