Court said cargo ships were operated by unlicensed pilots more than 50 times

One industry source, who spoke anonymously to avoid repercussions, said Sunday century that complaints about alleged unlicensed travel by Auriga pilots had been made to Safe Transport Victoria.

However, the state government said the regulator had not received any “formal complaints” that the pilots were operating without a license.

“Safe Transport Victoria takes unlicensed piloting seriously and will investigate any suspected safety breach when a complaint is made,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

“To ensure the safety of passengers, Safe Transport Victoria conducts regular inspections and enforcement efforts at our ports.”

The agency does not comment on the lawsuit because it is not a party to it.

Victoria is unusual in that there are several pilotage companies operating in the region. In other jurisdictions, these agreements are assigned to a single contractor.

Before the matter was resolved, Port Phillip Sea Pilots argued that Auriga’s “misleading” behavior meant it unfairly missed out on work they would otherwise have received.

Auriga said in a statement that the court case was “resolved on confidential terms to the satisfaction of both parties” and their activities were reviewed.

“Individually and more generally, Auriga Pilot’s systems and processes have been audited by Safe Transport Victoria and Ports Victoria, and independently by an ISPO approved classification society auditor, in accordance with the International Standard for the Maritime Pilotage Organizations Code,” it said.

“We remain fully licensed and approved by all regulatory authorities to operate from the ports of Geelong and Melbourne.”

Under the Maritime Safety Act, a person who acts as a pilot without a “valid” license can be fined more than $23,000 per offense.

The allegations against Auriga were brought in a civil lawsuit and the company will not face any penalties unless regulators take action.

Most Australian Transport Safety Bureau maritime investigations involve vessels commanded by maritime pilots.

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This includes an investigation into a “steering failure” in October 2023 when a lighthouse near the West Gate Bridge was hit by a CMA CGM Puccini aircraft.

The investigation is ongoing, with an interim report detailing that “erratic behaviour” in the ship’s steering remained unexplained despite multiple checks of the ship’s equipment and systems.

“Safe and well-regulated port facilities are critical to getting goods to market at the lowest possible cost, and Allan’s Labor government must thoroughly investigate any allegations of misconduct,” opposition ports spokeswoman Roma Britnell said.

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