Australia Bans Bulk Carrier Over Repeated Falsification of Crew Rest Records

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has banned a Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier from Australian ports for 90 days after inspectors discovered that crew work and rest records had been deliberately falsified to conceal excessive working hours.

The ban against the Wooyang Venus follows an October 29 port State control inspection in Newcastle prompted by a complaint under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). Inspectors found that the vessel’s records did not accurately reflect the hours worked by its crew.

It marks the third detention of the vessel in Australian waters in less than three years, with previous inspections uncovering similar problems.

According to AMSA, the Wooyang Venus was detained in August 2026 after inspectors found that crew work and rest hours were not being properly recorded or monitored. The vessel was also detained in December 2023 over incorrect work and rest records.

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