METIS LEADER

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Detention in Melbourne

International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) officials have been involved in stopping the 'Metis Leader' from slipping through Australian authorities’ fingers in the Port of Melbourne. The ship had brought vehicles to Australia on Oct 19, 2020. A number of crew members had been working aboard the vessel in excess of the 11 months maximum permitted under the Maritime Labour Convention and vessels flagged to Panama, as well as the 14 months limit allowed by Australian authorities. The international body and its affiliates detected the car carrier as having seafarers on board beyond acceptable limits. He said that at the time of the ship’s arrest there were: • Five seafarers on the verge of 12 months working aboard; • Two seafarers aboard for 14 months; • Three seafarers aboard for more than 15 months, including the ship’s captain. The ship owner’s agents, Japanese manning companies World Marine Company and WSS Shipping Agencies, attempted to stop union inspectors from coming aboard to inspect the welfare of the crew and assist in rescuing the crew from the situation. The ship owner’s agents tried to use Covid-19 as an excuse to stop the inspector coming aboard ITF contracts covering the ship gave him the right to board the ship and assess the crew’s situation in person. Following the detention of the vessel by Australian Maritime Safety Authority at the ITF urging, five crew were repatriated from Melbourne to the Philippines, including the captain and a number of engineers. The ship was not permitted to leave port until the company got them r The ship sailed on Oct 21.