Coronavirus: Maritime union wants ships from China to wait 14 days before docking

Union wants ships that have docked in China to be kept away because of a risk to workers.

A container ship arrives at a port in Qingdao, in east China's Shandong province. Picture: AP

The Maritime Union is calling for any ship that has docked in mainland China to wait 14 days before arriving in Australian ports, as a Singaporean ship arrives in Darwin.

The Kota Nebula has docked in the Northern Territory on Friday after having visited several Chinese ports in early February.

MUA national secretary Paddy Crumlin said in a statement that the Kota Nebula was a risk to workers and called for any ships which docked in China to wait 14 days before they are allowed in Australia.

“The Australian government has imposed strict travel restrictions that prevent air travel by anyone who has been in mainland China in the previous 14 days, yet this container vessel — which visited multiple mainland Chinese ports during this time — is being allowed to simply dock in Darwin,” Mr Crumlin said.

“Local maritime workers, including those who board the vessel to pilot it into Darwin Port, along with those working to unload it, are all being put at unacceptable risk of exposure through the decision to allow this vessel to dock in breach of the travel ban.

“There have been numerous confirmed cases of coronavirus among seafarers departing China, which is why it is so important that this vessel not be permitted to dock today.

“The Australian Government needs to urgently rectify this situation, enforcing the requirement that any vessel that has departed China wait 14 days before docking in Australia, and conducting proper health checks on all crew before they make contact with Australian maritime workers.”

The crew of the Kota Nebula will not leave the ship, and acting NT health officer Dianne Stephen told the NT News there was no coronavirus threat.

“There is no chance of the coronavirus being transmitted to anyone in Darwin from the arrival of this boat,” she said.

“We have put very strict guidelines in place, the crew are not getting off that boat.

“They will not be interacting with Australians on the mainland. All that is happening is the off-loading of the cargo and Australian Border Force has very strict protocols in place for these ships and have done a terrific job.

“Many ships have come in other jurisdictions and these processes have worked well.”