The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has detained a ship in the Port of Newcastle after seafarers complained about being mistreated, fatigued and underpaid.

Eleven crew from Myanmar have been taken off the ship and transferred to Sydney, after Australian Border Force and NSW Police were called to Kooragang Island where the Unison Jasper is docked.

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[...] [U]nion representatives [...] said they found documents showing the seafarers were in some cases only being paid a quarter of what they were due.

Some of the crew said they had been forced to sign extensions to their contracts.

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The Taiwanese-owned ship sails under a Hong Kong flag and is captained by Chinese officers with a Myanmarese crew.

[...] it arrived in Newcastle with a cargo of alumina for Tomago Aluminium.

Tomago chief executive Matt Howell said the company was not responsible for the ship's operation but he was very concerned by the allegations.

He said if the reports were correct, his company would be absolutely appalled and expected the ship's owners to comply with the law in all respects.

The ABC has asked the ship's owners, Unison Marine Corporation, for comment.