”In this instance they were lucky there was no major incident,” International Transport Workers’ Federation Australia coordinator Dean Summers said. ”In a worst-case scenario, the shifting cargo could have caused the ship to sink by compromising its stability.” VesselTracker photo.
Australian Maritime Safety Authority surveyors placed the Orient Becrux under port state control when they boarded the ship at noon.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation said the Filipino crew members were made to unlash cargo, which included rail cars, before the ship arrived in port.
Australian Health and Safety law dictates that cargo should only be unlashed by qualified Australian stevedores while the ship is berthed.
The union accused the ship’s operators of exploiting its crew. ‘‘This is money grubbing of the worst kind, whereby in order to save a few dollars you get an already exploited workforce to do work they’re not qualified to do and risk everyone’s life in the process,’’ said International Transport Workers’ Federation Australia coordinator Dean Summers.