Shinsung-Accord Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has imposed a six-month prohibition on the bulk carrier 'Western Callao' from entering Australian waters due to serious transgressions by its management company, Bright Star Shipmanagement. Following a complaint, AMSA conducted an inspection of the vessel at Port Adelaide, South Australia, on September 6, 2021. During this inspection, authorities discovered alarming discrepancies in the employment arrangements of the ship's 13 crew members. It was revealed that the seafarers were underpaid, collecting around AU$40,000 (approximately $29,000) in owed wages. Furthermore, AMSA found that the crew members had remained onboard for more than a year, despite agreements to repatriate them after their initial nine-month contracts expired. These findings led to the detention of the ship due to multiple violations of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). The operator was subsequently ordered to address the unpaid wages. After the situation was rectified, the vessel was allowed to proceed to Brisbane for a crew change. Once the crew received their back wages, AMSA permitted the Western Callao to depart. On September 22, the vessel set sail towards Indonesia, with a firm mandate that it cannot re-enter Australian ports for the next six months.