Stevedoring Industry Award

If you employ staff to load, unload, handle or move cargo as part of stevedoring operations at Australian ports or wharves, the Stevedoring Industry Award 2020 (MA000053) generally applies. It covers cargo-handling and related operational roles on the waterfront. Some adjacent work falls under other awards such as the Port Authorities Award, so confirm coverage against the Fair Work source before setting pay and conditions.

The award distinguishes guaranteed wage employees, who receive a guaranteed weekly wage in return for being available for work, from full-time and casual employees engaged as the workload requires. The guaranteed wage compensates for the irregular, vessel-driven nature of waterfront work. Make sure each employee's engagement type is correctly identified, then apply the corresponding minimum and conditions, confirming the current figures against the Fair Work source.

Place each employee at the level that matches the work they genuinely perform, using the classification descriptors in the award, which reflect the skills, equipment competencies and responsibilities involved. A job title alone is not enough; assess the actual duties and the equipment operated. Once you have the correct level and engagement type, read its current minimum rate from the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

Casual stevedoring employees are paid an hourly rate plus a casual loading, commonly 25% across modern awards, to compensate for the paid leave and other entitlements casuals do not accrue. Treat 25% as a guide only; the award sets the operative figure and may vary how it applies alongside shift and weekend penalties. Confirm the current casual loading for this award from the Fair Work source before processing pay.

Ordinary hours worked on Saturdays and Sundays attract weekend penalties under the award, which matters because waterfront work runs seven days. As a guide, Saturday loadings are commonly around 25% and Sunday around 50%, but the award sets the actual figures and they can combine with shift loadings. Always confirm the current weekend rates for the relevant shift and employment type on the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

Work on a public holiday is paid at a premium under MA000053, which as a guide can reach up to 150% of the minimum rate, and a minimum engagement may apply. Ships do not stop for public holidays, so this comes up regularly on the waterfront. Employees who would normally work that day but do not are generally entitled to ordinary pay. Verify the current public holiday entitlement against the Fair Work source.

Overtime applies when an employee works beyond their ordinary or rostered hours, which is common given the irregular, vessel-driven pattern of waterfront work. It is paid at penalty rates that step up after the initial period, with higher rates on weekends and public holidays. Identify which hours count as overtime for each employee and confirm the current overtime multipliers on the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

Stevedoring is heavily shift-based, and the award pays shift loadings on top of the base rate for afternoon and night shifts, with the loading depending on when the shift falls. These loadings can combine with weekend or public holiday penalties on a round-the-clock roster. Map each shift's start time and day, then confirm the current shift loading for that band from the Fair Work source rather than applying a single flat rate.

The award provides waterfront-specific allowances tied to the cargo and conditions, which can include allowances for handling hazardous or unpleasant cargo, working in confined spaces or at height, and qualifying meal breaks, among others. Many depend on the task performed on a given shift, so they are easy to overlook. Identify which apply to each engagement and confirm the current amounts on the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

Annual leave loading is an extra payment on top of base pay when a permanent employee takes paid annual leave. Under this award it is 17.5% of the minimum rate of pay, and it applies to full-time and part-time staff taking annual leave. Casual employees do not accrue annual leave. Apply the loading when processing leave payments and confirm the calculation against the Fair Work source.

Minimum rates and many allowances are reviewed each year in the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review and take effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July. The 2026 review increased modern award minimums by 4.75%. Apply increases from the correct pay period, not the calendar date, and pull the new figures for each classification, engagement type and allowance from the Fair Work Pay Calculator to stay compliant.

Because work arrives with ships rather than on a steady weekly pattern, the award uses full-time, guaranteed wage and casual engagements to balance availability against unpredictable demand. That makes it essential to record each employee's engagement type, the shifts they actually work, and the loadings and allowances those shifts trigger. Confirm the current rates and conditions for each engagement type against the Fair Work source so irregular rosters are still paid correctly.

The risks with MA000053 sit in the detail: the right classification and engagement type, guaranteed wage entitlements, stacked shift and weekend penalties on an irregular roster, cargo and condition allowances, and rates refreshed every July. Anchor every figure to the Fair Work Pay Calculator and review pay each 1 July. Valont runs award-compliant payroll for waterfront and cargo-handling employers, mapping engagements and shifts to the correct classifications, penalties and allowances so figures stay current and accurate.