Chinese Ship Detained in Australian Harbor After Workers Unlash Cargo

Australian port officials temporarily took over a Hong Kong-based ship at the port in Newcastle after learning crew members had unlashed a cargo load of 300 rail cars prior to the ship’s arrival in port.

The ship — the Orient  Becrux, owned by Chinese operator Pacific Basin — was held by Australian authorities for several hours before eventually being released with a warning.

Originally, investigators believed the ship’s owners had ordered the crew members to unlash the cargo while the vessel was still waiting for a berth at the harbor. But they later learned that the crew members had acted on their own.

“The crew took this into their own hands, and when we inquired why, we were told that the master was keen to be efficient,” said a Pacific Basin spokesman.

Unlashing cargo while a ship is still at sea is dangerous because it can lead to the cargo shifting, which can compromise the vessel’s stability and potentially cause it to sink.

But port operators also don’t want crews to unlash cargo due to labor contracts with stevedores who perform this function at a cost to the carrier.

The ship’s crew was told that if it happens again, the company could be banned from using Australian ports in the future.