Shipping Australia Ltd (SAL) claims that it is now “almost impossible” to carry out a crew change in Western Australia except Perth, under new rule changes introduced this month.

Under the new rules on-signing seafarers can fly into Perth and will be directed into a 14-day quarantine before they can travel to join their ship.

Seafarers who are signing off can do so in Perth, but they must go straight to the airport and fly out of Australia within eight hours of leaving the ship.