Australia’s trade minister Simon Birmingham steps in to resolve fate of Indian coal sailors stranded in Chinese ports

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said Australian authorities had contacted their Chinese counterparts in attempt to resolve the situation. “It is unacceptable for such uncertainty to exist over such a long period of time that effectively leaves sailors stranded at sea,” he said.

“This isn’t just a trade issue, but it is an issue about respect and regard for the wellbeing of the individuals.”

The dispute now involves negotiations between Chinese authorities, the office of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Great Eastern Shipping (the ship’s owners) and Anglo American Australia, the miner that exported the coal.

Anastasia is owned by the Mediterranean Shipping Company, the Swiss-Italian giant. The company was contacted for comment.

This isn’t just a trade issue, but it is an issue about respect and regard for the wellbeing of the individuals.

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham

Australian Resources Minister Keith Pitt on Wednesday said the impasse was a matter for the companies to resolve.

The general secretary of the National Union of Seafarers of India, Abdulgani Serang, on Wednesday demanded the United Nation’s International Maritime Organisation [IMO] intervene.

“We are disturbed, frustrated and angry to note the plight of our Indian seafarers on-board Jag Anand and Anastasia,” he said.

“We have at hand a humanitarian crisis on board where the entire crew is fatigued and requires urgent relief. Despite the best efforts of everybody, the seafarers are not being relieved or cargo not being discharged in China so the ship can sail out.

“Is the IMO waiting for a disaster to happen? We are not pleading but demanding urgent intervention.”

The wife of one of the Jag Anand crew members has urged Mr Modi to raise the ship’s fate with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

“Due to severance of diplomatic ties between China and Australia the vessel is on anchor since June 13 with no news of near berthing schedule,” she said.”Deteriorating health of crew members is also a major concern with some being declared unfit by [the] company doctor.”

The Australian government has joined other countries in condemning the Chinese Communist Party’s actions in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and the South China Sea. But it has been singled out by the Chinese government for banning telecommunications giant Huawei from the 5G network in 2018 over national security concerns and leading the lobby calling for an independent inquiry into the coronavirus in April.

Senator Birmingham said China’s domestic coal production was”no excuse for leaving such uncertainty for such a long period of time” and the incidents followed a pattern of disruption that had hampered Australia’s imports into China throughout this year.

“The uncertainty about how long it will take to to clear customs or or be allowed to unload ends up creating additional cost and disruption for both Australian businesses and the Chinese customers,” he said.