| AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN SHIP BAN ENDS BUT NSW PORTS HIT | |
| Tug crews in New South Wales (NSW), | |
| Victoria and Western Australia yesterday lifted their ban on | |
| foreign-flag ships carrying containers but NSW ports are still | |
| being disrupted by a separate dispute, shipping sources said. | |
| The ban, imposed a week ago over a pay claim, had prevented | |
| the movement in or out of port of nearly 20 vessels, they said. | |
| The pay dispute went before a hearing of the Arbitration | |
| Commission today. | |
| Meanwhile, disruption began today to cargo handling in the | |
| ports of Sydney, Newcastle and Port Kembla, they said. | |
| The industrial action at the NSW ports is part of the week | |
| of action called by the NSW Trades and Labour Council to | |
| protest changes to the state's workers' compensation laws. | |
| The shipping sources said the various port unions appear to | |
| be taking it in turn to work for a short time at the start of | |
| each shift and then to walk off. | |
| Cargo handling in the ports has been disrupted, with | |
| container movements most affected, but has not stopped | |
| altogether, they said. | |
| They said they could not say how long the disruption will | |
| go on and what effect it will have on shipping movements. | |