The Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier MV Xing Jing Hai was delivering materials to the Port of Brisbane when it was detained by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority on Wednesday.

"It's the third case of wage theft and exploitation of foreign seafarers transporting goods to and from Australia that has been identified in the past week," International Transport Workers' Federation assistant coordinator Matt Purcell told AAP on Thursday.

Panama-flagged MV Fortune Genius was held at the Port of Gladstone last week after an ITF inspection found fraudulent documentation, according to Mr Purcell, including the use of two sets of books to conceal wage theft on the ship.

The ITF has also requested an audit of a third vessel, the MV Xing Ning Hai, which is owned by the same company as the MV Xing Jing Hai.

Mr Purcell said he crew on that ship reported they had not been paid since June and are owed more than $100,000 in wages.

"All these vessels have been contracted to carry goods and materials for major businesses - the Xing Jing Hai is in Brisbane to deliver clinker to Cement Australia, while the Xing Ning Hai is in Port Kembla to carry steel from Bluescope," he said.

In total, ITF inspectors have identified more than $250,000 dollars in unpaid wages during the three audits, along with further breaches of the Maritime Labour Convention.

Mr Purcell said the three similar cases of wage theft highlight that exploitation is taking place in Australia's maritime supply chains.

ITF president Paddy Crumlin said stronger laws are needed to protect foreign workers in Australian waters.

Many are being paid as little as $2 per hour by companies contracted to supply Australia's fuel, carry our resources and move cargo to and from our ports.

Australian Associated Press