The ITF union has criticised Australian authorities for their latest eviction of domestic crew from a bulker.
The incident took place on Friday at Newcastle on the 50,000–dwt CSL Melbourne (built 2002).
The last five Australians were removed so that the vessel could trade internationally with a foreign crew, after operator CSL lost a coastal contract for alumina.
ITF seafarers’ section chair Dave Heindel said: “This raid was an error of truly national dimensions.
“The Australian government seems hell-bent on stripping away the very protections that make Australia the nation it is, and in doing so is becoming an international embarrassment in an industry seeking higher standards of governance and accountability.”
TradeWinds reported last month that the ITF criticised Alcoa for removing an Australian crew off another bulker after a two-month standoff.
A total of 30 security guards ejected five crewmen while they slept on the 36,600-dwt Portland (1988) and replace them with foreign crew.
Heindel added: “Coming on the heels of the dawn raid removal of the crew of the Portland last week, this is another example of the Australian government shooting itself in the foot.
"It is beginning to look almost like it wants to punish the Australian people, by removing their jobs and national shipping industry in favour of dodging tax and national labour standards.”
CSL has said it is trying to redeploy crew on other vessels, but added that redundancies are likely.
