Juliette

Cement Australia helped inspectors gain access to the "Unity" on Jan 14 when it docked in Brisbane. International Transport Workers' Federation National Coordinator Dean Summers said the conditions appeared to be acceptable and the captain was cooperative with the inspector. The Federation was working with the Greek owners Cosmos to establish an agreement for the workers which will legally bind the company to adhere to international standards. Summers hoped to have the agreement finalised within the next few days. The ship belongs to the Greek company Cosmos, but flies the flag of Panama, an arrangement which can enable companies to avoid adhering workplace regulations.

Inspectors claimed they were denied access to the "Unity" being loaded with cargo from Cement Australia on Jan 12, 2016, in Gladstone. The International Transport Workers' Federation tried to board the ship which has caught the Federation's attention because the Greek owned bulk carrier, sailing under a Panama flag, hasn't left Australian waters for at least the past month, but isn't registered there so sailors aren't getting Australian minimum wages. An inspector will now board the ship when it docks in Brisbane on Jan 14. The shipping agent managing the Unity in Gladstone, Ironmonger Shipping Agencies, refused to comment.