Read Authentic Ratings for the Xing-Ning-Hai

On September 11, 2019, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) took a firm stand against maritime labor violations by banning two bulk carriers from docking at Australian ports. The Panama-flagged vessels, 'Fortune Genius' in Gladstone and 'Xing Jing Hai' in Brisbane, faced bans of 12 months and 18 months respectively due to serious breaches concerning crew wages. The AMSA's decision was triggered after the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) forwarded a complaint regarding the 'Fortune Genius'. AMSA officials conducted an investigation and found that the operator, New Fortune Genius Management, had underpaid the crew by approximately A$100,000 (about $69,000) during the months of April through August. Alarmingly, the ship was found to maintain two separate wage accounts—one reflecting the rightful wages due to the crew and another showing the reduced payments actually made. The ship was consequently detained at Gladstone to address these findings. In a similar situation, AMSA surveyors boarded the 'Xing Jing Hai' in Brisbane on the same day after receiving complaints from the ITF. It was revealed that the crew had not received their wages in full and on time, with outstanding payments for July and August amounting to around A$140,000. This operator, Dalian Ocean Prosperity International Ship Management, had a prior warning regarding wage issues involving their sister ship, 'Xing Ning Hai'. In fact, AMSA previously detained the 'Xing Ning Hai' in July 2018 after discovering crew members were owed about A$215,000, a sum unprecedented for a vessel found in Australian waters. AMSA found that the issues stemmed from a manning agent’s failure to disburse wages properly. Following this incident, the operator pledged to sever ties with the manning agent to prevent future occurrences. Upon receiving new allegations against 'Xing Ning Hai', AMSA re-inspected the vessel on September 11, but found no substantiation for the claims. However, due to its previous failures, 'Xing Ning Hai' remains under stringent inspection protocols. In response to the ongoing violations, AMSA General Manager of Operations Allan Schwartz issued strict bans on both vessels, aiming to uphold the standards set forth by the Maritime Labour Convention. Schwartz emphasized that such unethical treatment of seafarers will not be tolerated, noting that the actions of the operators were both dishonest and indicative of systemic failures. Interestingly, the 'Xing Jing Hai' was in Brisbane to deliver clinker to Cement Australia, while 'Xing Ning Hai' was involved in transporting steel from Bluescope in Port Kembla. As of September 18, 'Xing Ning Hai' departed towards New Plymouth with a scheduled arrival estimated for September 22. AMSA's monitor of these vessels is expected to continue, reinforcing its commitment to maritime labor rights.

A significant maritime transaction has taken place, with a vessel being sold for an impressive $18.5 million as part of a package deal to buyers from Greece. This sale underscores the ongoing interest and investment by Greek shipping companies in the global maritime market.

The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) has expressed its approval following the decision by Australian officials to hold the bulk carrier 'Xing Ning Hai' in Devonport due to significant unpaid wages owed to its crew. The vessel docked on July 22, 2018, to discharge a shipment of gypsum but has since been detained by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) after revelations in the United States surfaced, indicating that the 22 Chinese crew members aboard were collectively owed over $250,000 USD in back pay. Although the shipowners had assured that all pending wages would be settled prior to departing from the United States, doubts linger regarding whether the full amount has indeed been paid. In response to these concerns, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) conducted two inspections of the ship during the previous week to assess the wage discrepancies, while representatives from Hong Kong have traveled to Australia for a collaborative inspection with AMSA. Notably, the bulk carrier set sail again on July 29 at 4:50 a.m., heading towards Gladstone.