On 2 December 2022, a foreign-flagged vessel was arrested in Melbourne, Australia due to commercial disputes and owed wages. On 5 January 2023, AMSA, in consultation with the flag State and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) issued a notice of abandonment to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in accordance with the ILO Guidelines on how to deal with seafarer abandonment cases. This was the first time AMSA has had to issue an abandonment notice.
On 23 January 2023, all seafarers were repatriated with all outstanding wages settled by June 2023. This case demonstrates the plight seafarers may face as part of their job. In this instance, collaboration between AMSA and relevant stakeholders, and continued focus on seafarer welfare, ensured the seafarers involved were repatriated and paid all wages within an appropriate time frame.