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The Guardian 29 March, 2006
This article I find of interest as I see this ship in Sydney berthed next to Sydney 2000 in the Patricks wharf.What do members think of what has happened here.
Union alert on container poaching
Australian cargo is being illegally poached by Flags of Convenience (FoC) vessels in a new scam uncovered by maritime workers.
The Boomerang 1, the first Australian crewed liner vessel in the coastal trade for a decade, has priority under the Navigation Act to ship coastal cargo. But while on her maiden voyage to Melbourne last week, the FoC vessel MSC Kota Ekspres made off with containers on a continuous voyage permit.
This was in contravention of Australian maritime law, which only allows foreign vessels to carry domestic cargo if no Australian licensed vessel is available.
MUA members loaded the boxes under protest and the union alerted the Department of Transport and Regional Services (DOTARS) of the alleged breach. But despite directions from DOTARS to discharge any domestic cargo the Kota Ekspres failed to comply.
DOTARS could now seek to revoke the vessels’ permit and impose sanctions on the vessel and its operator.
The Maritime Union is now stepping up its campaign to protect the future of Australian-crewed vessels against multi-national FoC encroachment.
Wharfies in Fremantle, WA, have been standing guard over containers awaiting the arrival of the Boomerang 1, which was due in port last weekend, after the Melbourne incident.
"Our members are officially on alert", said MUA WA Branch Secretary Chris Cain. "We will not stand by and let this siphoning of cargo continue in our waters."
MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin said the Australian fleet had become all but extinct due to widespread abuse of the permit system allowing cheap, substandard FoC shipping to plunder Australia’s coastal trade.
"We will be working with the department and the owners of Boomerang 1 to closely monitor loading at our ports", he said.
The Boomerang 1 is the first of three vessels chartered by Pan Australia Shipping providing jobs for Australian seafarers. The ships will run between Sydney, Melbourne, Fremantle and, eventually, Brisbane.
Bob (Sydney )
This article I find of interest as I see this ship in Sydney berthed next to Sydney 2000 in the Patricks wharf.What do members think of what has happened here.
Union alert on container poaching
Australian cargo is being illegally poached by Flags of Convenience (FoC) vessels in a new scam uncovered by maritime workers.
The Boomerang 1, the first Australian crewed liner vessel in the coastal trade for a decade, has priority under the Navigation Act to ship coastal cargo. But while on her maiden voyage to Melbourne last week, the FoC vessel MSC Kota Ekspres made off with containers on a continuous voyage permit.
This was in contravention of Australian maritime law, which only allows foreign vessels to carry domestic cargo if no Australian licensed vessel is available.
MUA members loaded the boxes under protest and the union alerted the Department of Transport and Regional Services (DOTARS) of the alleged breach. But despite directions from DOTARS to discharge any domestic cargo the Kota Ekspres failed to comply.
DOTARS could now seek to revoke the vessels’ permit and impose sanctions on the vessel and its operator.
The Maritime Union is now stepping up its campaign to protect the future of Australian-crewed vessels against multi-national FoC encroachment.
Wharfies in Fremantle, WA, have been standing guard over containers awaiting the arrival of the Boomerang 1, which was due in port last weekend, after the Melbourne incident.
"Our members are officially on alert", said MUA WA Branch Secretary Chris Cain. "We will not stand by and let this siphoning of cargo continue in our waters."
MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin said the Australian fleet had become all but extinct due to widespread abuse of the permit system allowing cheap, substandard FoC shipping to plunder Australia’s coastal trade.
"We will be working with the department and the owners of Boomerang 1 to closely monitor loading at our ports", he said.
The Boomerang 1 is the first of three vessels chartered by Pan Australia Shipping providing jobs for Australian seafarers. The ships will run between Sydney, Melbourne, Fremantle and, eventually, Brisbane.
Bob (Sydney )
