Case Study 2

In August 2023, AMSA received a complaint from the ITF that there were insufficient provisions onboard a vessel as well as issues with wages and hours of work and rest.

AMSA inspected the vessel and the evidence showed:

• seafarers were not being paid at monthly intervals in accordance with their Seafarer Employment Agreement (SEA)
• their signatures on the SEAs were forged
• seafarers were being coerced to sign new SEAs with lower salaries.

The vessel was subsequently detained. Approximately AUD$76,890 of wages was recovered and paid in full to the seafarers prior to the vessel being released from detention and the vessel was subsequently banned from Australian waters for one year.