Upwards of 60 Australian longshoremen were stood down Tuesday after they refused to unload a container ship from China.
The Xin Da Lian docked at the DP World terminal in the Victoria state capital of Melbourne after leaving Shanghai on March 17. Union organizers claim the ship may be contaminated with coronavirus and should instead be held in quarantine.
The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) says the vessel is in breach of the federal government’s 14-day coronavirus quarantine period after visiting a Taiwanese port on March 19 during its voyage Down Under, local outlet News.com reports.
Workers say shaving two days off the quarantine period is “a risk to workers and the community” and those who refused to unload the vessel over concerns about the risk of the coronavirus were sent home.
DP World Australia chief operating officer Andrew Adam says the ship was cleared to berth by the Australian Border Force.
Justice Department sues Fulton County to obtain records related to 2020 election
EXCLUSIVE: Inside Trump’s private schedule as media fixates on his health
Obese man on death row chooses buffet of BBQ, wings, cheeseburger, pizza, ice cream for last meal in Georgia
Florida influencer, 41, accused of inappropriately touching, exposing herself to teenage son’s friend
Republican House leader signals plan to begin contempt proceedings against Bill and Hillary Clinton
Watch: Tim Walz Tries to Make Somali Fraud Scandal Seem Perfectly Normal, Blames Trump for Talking About It
Elon Musk Sets Newsom Straight on ‘Trans Kids’ After Governor’s Office Attacks Musk’s Family
James Carville Criticizes Jasmine Crockett’s Senate Bid, Says She’s Too Self-Centered to Win
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Omar accused of opening door to massive Minneapolis fraud
Gabbard blasts Democrat Bennie Thompson for calling National Guard shooting an ‘unfortunate accident’
FDA Set to Give COVID Vaccines Serious ‘Black Box’ Designation: Report
House GOP unveils healthcare plan ahead of vote next week as cost hike looms for millions
Cruz says Rep Ilhan Omar could face jail time, deportation if marriage allegation proves true
DOJ asks appeals court to halt Boasberg’s contempt hearing next week
‘Incompetence or dereliction’: Minnesota lawmaker rips Tim Walz as state fraud losses mount
“Any crew members aboard a vessel that has been to mainland China must have been at sea for 14 days before they are allowed to dock in Australia,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The union is not allowed to unilaterally declare a vessel unsafe. They are not allowed to create their own set of rules.”
MUA national assistant secretary Warren Smith said it didn’t want to see a repeat of Sydney’s Ruby Princess cruise ship debacle where the vessel was allowed to send all its passengers ashore without screening after it had docked.
“The largest cluster of COVID-19 cases in Australia … was the result of inadequate measures put in place for the arrival of ships,” he said in a statement as reported by local outlet 7News.
“What’s the difference with this ship?”
Story cited here.
