News / Australian dockers' union in quarantine dispute over Chinese box ship

Citing coronavirus concerns, dockworkers in Melbourne have refused to unload a containership carrying “critical medical supplies” from China, despite the vessel being cleared for entry by the Australian Border Force.

Cosco’s 5,668 teu Xin Da Lian left Shanghai on 17 March and called Kaohsiung, Taiwan on 19 March, before arriving at DP World’s Melbourne terminal yesterday.

Under current rules in Australia, this was permitted as the call was after the 14-day quarantine period for ships’ crew leaving mainland China – none of them ...