RAFFLES HARMONY

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Tanker banned from Australia on crew welfare issues

The 'AG Neptune' has been banned from Australia on crew welfare issues. The tanker was earlier detained for multiple breaches of the Maritime Labour Convention. Investigations by Australian authorities found evidence that 21 crew members were collectively owed $86,000, while food and water on board did not meet quality standards The Australian Maritime Safety Authority inspected the 'AG Neptune in Gladstone on June 17, 2022, after receiving a complaint regarding crew wages. During the inspection, AMSA found evidence the employment agreement with the crew on board the ship had not been met and the crew members were collectively owed approximately AUD $123,000. AMSA found evidence the food and drinking water were not of appropriate quality, quantity and nutritional value for seafarers. One seafarer was not provided with adequate medical care after being injured onboard. As a result, AMSA detained the ship for multiple breaches of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), and the operator has been directed to pay the outstanding wages and address the deficiencies. The seafarers were repeatedly not paid at regular intervals and two crew members had expired Seafarer Employment Agreements.

Ongoing dispute being settled

A Federal Court of Australia judge has appointed a mediator to help settle an ongoing dispute over the contaminated cargo of diesel fuel of the 'AG Neptune', which has been under arrest, off the port of Newcastle on May 3, 2022. The vessel was carrying 62,000 metric tonnes of diesel fuel that had been procured in Taiwan by Viva Energy Australia, a company that claims on its website to supply. It alleges that the diesel fuel was within specification when it was loaded onto AG Neptune in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, China, in March, but upon arrival at Newcastle on or about Apr 10, the cargo in all tanks was found to be contaminated which has caused it losses and damages in the sum of approximately 41 million dollars. The reason to put up the security demanded by Viva Energy is unclear. The 'AG Neptune' is currently anchored off the port of Gladstone, where it was moved shortly after its arrest at the request of the owner of the vessel to facilitate bunkering with very low sulphur fuel oil, which was running low. The move to Gladstone was also made for safety reasons, as the port's sheltered anchorage was deemed a more appropriate location for keeping the vessel than the exposed waters off Newcastle, where the vessel had been required to drift 12 nautical miles off the coast.