Crew Prevent Ship from Sailing

Date: 11 May 2000

Crew on board the Australian flagged vessel River Torrens have refused to sail today in protest against the government policy to send Australian ships out of business with the loss of all jobs.

The action in the port of Brisbane is the second affecting the Torrens this year. The bulk carrier is currently without work because of the government allowing foreign vessels to carry Australian cargo even when Australian vessels are available for the job.

CSL Australia, the owners of the former national line vessel, recently tendered for a domestic fertiliser contract, but the shipment was awarded to foreign flagged vessels the Algarve and J Emma, with government permits.

The three maritime unions and CSL have alleged that shippers and cargo handlers are manipulating the single voyage system in favour of cheap foreign ships. This is putting Australian ships out of business and Australian seafarers out of work. The policy has the full support of the government.

The Torrens was supposed to sail from Brisbane at 5pm yesterday evening for China where CSL says it will be sold to a foreign entity due to lack of cargo. But crew refused start the engines. And this morning seafarers notified they would refuse to let go of the lines.

The three Australian unions (The Maritime Union of Australia, Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers and Australian Maritime Officers' Union) commenced legal proceedings against the Minister for Transport John Anderson, WMC Fertilisers and the master/beneficial owner of the bulk carrier Algarve, FH Bertling Reederei of Hamburg in the Federal Court in Melbourne on Tuesday, May 9. The unions are arguing that the new liberalisation of the single voyage permit system is in breach of the Navigation Act. Court proceedings will continue in June.

Deputy National Secretary Paddy Crumlin, mobile: 0418 379 660
Southern Queensland Assistant Branch Secretary Dave Perry, mobile: 0419 024208
River Torrens crew can be contacted on board the vessel through Dave Perry

For further information

Contact:	Zoe Reynolds
Union:	Maritime Union of Australia
Phone:	0417 229873
WWW:	http://mua.tcp.net.au/

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