Working Conditions Aboard the Oocl-Le-Havre

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has successfully upheld its decision to detain the OOCL Le Havre, a vessel owned by Orient Overseas Container Line, for the illegal dumping of food waste near Fraser Island in May 2016. This ruling came after a detailed hearing by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) on November 25. The OOCL Le Havre, which was detained in Brisbane following a Port State Control inspection on May 24, was found to have significant deficiencies in its Safety Management System. Inspectors noted that the crew lacked a comprehensive understanding of maritime garbage regulations as prescribed under MARPOL. During the inspection, it was revealed that on May 23, the crew had improperly disposed of 0.08 cubic meters (2.8 cubic feet) of food waste into the ocean, a mere three nautical miles from the nearest land. The owner, Orient Overseas Container Line, contested AMSA's detention decision at the AAT. However, after a thorough review, the AAT affirmed AMSA's action as justified, supporting their stance that the Safety Management System failure warranted the vessel's detention in this case.