A SEAFARER died after falling while transferring from the bulk carrier Formosabulk Clement to a smaller vessel 5 nautical miles off Point Cartwright during a crew-change operation.

The incident occurred in Australian territorial waters, but outside of Queensland waters, and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority has detained the vessel to allow for an investigation to be carried out.

An AMSA spokesperson confirmed the death of a seafarer onboard Liberian-flagged Formosabulk Clement.

“AMSA, together with state and other federal authorities, are currently investigating this incident and it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this early stage,” the spokesperson said.

“AMSA extends its deepest sympathies to the man’s family and the crew of the ship.”

International Transport Workers’ Federation Australia co-ordinator Ian Bray said the Formosabulk Clement was reportedly sailing to a New South Wales port, where a crew change could have safely occurred at the berth.

“But because of that state’s restrictive health orders it appears the vessel operator instead decided to replace the crew while sailing down the Queensland coast,” he said.

“After spending the last year at sea, this seafarer was looking forward to finally returning home to his family, but instead they have received the tragic news that he died during the crew change. Our deepest sympathies are with his family, friends, and fellow crew members.”

Maritime Safety Queensland general manager Angus Mitchell confirmed the vessel was not destined for a Queensland port.

“Because Queensland has a mature crew transfer process that allows seafarers to come into the state in numbers above the arrival cap, and has a dedicated hotel quarantine system for seafarers, we’re seeing an increasing number of change-overs for vessels that aren’t destined for Queensland ports,” Mr Mitchell said.

“This introduces a different risk profile. Whereas ships that are destined for Queensland ports by and large will conduct crew transfers alongside, vessels that aren’t destined for Queensland ports generally have to find another way of doing that.”

Mr Mitchell said Queensland, on average conducts 250 changeovers per week, and has done so for some time. This number includes changeovers conducted at ports and otherwise.

He said since 15 May 2020, MSQ has facilitated 9646 crew changeovers spanning 823 vessels.

“We’ve taken the stance that we take a very much a humanitarian approach to seafarers, whether they’re destined for Queensland ports or other Australian ports,” Mr Mitchell said.

“This is why we don’t count those that come through the quarantine system as Queensland-based or otherwise, we just facilitate it for the health and welfare for all seafarers, but as well around protecting shipping, we have a lot of ships in Queensland that go through the Torres Strait and the Great Barrier Reef that we provide pilotage and VTS services to.”

The ITF’s Mr Bray said it is essential that the Australian government learn from this preventable death and take the urgent steps needed to address the crew change crisis that caused it.

“Australia is failing to live up to its legal obligations as a signatory to the Maritime Labour Convention, which outlines the nation’s responsibility to the health and welfare of the seafarers that keep the nation’s supply chains moving,” Mr Bray said.

“State and federal governments are complicit in any fatalities that occur because crew changes are being undertaken in an unsafe manner due to their prescribed health orders.”

Mr Bray said the Australian government urgently needs to address the issue and work with state and territory governments to put in place a nationally consistent, best-practice crew change policy that allows for the safe transfer of crew members while the vessels are in port.

“The current situation is seeing risky off-shore transfers take place, while some vessels are diverting to QLD ports because it is the only Australian state with a comprehensive approach to crew changes,” he said.