Federal Government investigators from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) have boarded the Carnival cruise ship Carnival Encounter at the Port of Darwin to investigate whistleblower reports of crew skin disease, unsafe drinking water and crew being forced to work while sick.
The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) said it received the whistleblower reports from a crew member.
But Carnival said the move was a “blatant” use of crew to boost membership.
“We have nothing to hide and will cooperate with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which ensures international crew welfare standards are met through regular port state control inspections as a matter of course,” a Carnival Cruise Line spokesperson said.
“As we have said before, the Maritime Union of Australia is making blatant claims to launch a membership drive and apparently likes to use vulgar and lame tactics to get attention.”
MUA NT Branch Secretary Andy Burford said the inspection was the direct result of crew members coming forward to the union, and that the branch is working closely with International Transport Workers Federation inspectors and AMSA to coordinate interventions throughout Australia aimed at addressing the treatment of crew aboard Carnival Cruise Line ships marketed as “Australian home-ported” vessels.
Carnival Encounter is one of three Carnival Cruise Line vessels home-ported in Australia which operate almost exclusively in Australian waters. The union says the operator uses...
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