TK Teekay Corporation

By Stephen Bell

PERTH, Australia--Australia's biggest iron-ore port avoided a threatened strike by tugboat engineers Wednesday, tugboat operator Teekay Shipping said.

The country's Fair Work Commission made an interim order late Tuesday to prevent a strike action at Port Hedland by the Australian Institute of Marine & Power Engineers that had been set to start early Thursday morning, Teekay said in a statement.

Teekay, the contractor that runs tugboats on behalf of BHP Billiton Ltd. and other exporters, reached an agreement with two other unions this week on pay and conditions at the port.

The tugboat operator said it has offered a new work deal to the engineers, who are due to vote on it in the coming days.

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