AMSA bans vessel from Australian ports for 12 months

by AMSA on 1 Feb 2015 For the first time, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has banned a vessel from entering or using any port in Australia for 12 months.

Indonesian flagged container ship Red Rover (IMO9481673) was today issued with a direction not to enter or use any port in Australia for 12 months after being detained by AMSA three times since September 2014.

The most recent detention was on 28 January 2015 in Fremantle, Western Australia. All three detentions identified failings in the vessel’s Safety Management System, including a lack of effective passage planning and failure to use appropriate charts and publications.

This is the third vessel operated by PT Meratus Line (Company Number 0313623) which has been banned from accessing Australian ports for a period of time. All three of these vessels repeatedly demonstrated they were not operating or being managed to meet applicable standards despite repeated advice by AMSA to take action to improve performance.

AMSA banned the MV Meratus Sangatta (IMO 9116797) earlier this month and the Territory Trader (IMO 8812899) in November last year, from entering or using any port in Australia for three months.

AMSA Chief Executive Officer, Mick Kinley, said Australia is a signatory to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions and AMSA takes its responsibilities seriously to ensure compliance with all international safety conventions.

'The unsafe operation of vessels poses an unacceptable risk to seafarers and the environment and AMSA treats any breaches of international shipping standards with the greatest of seriousness,' Mr Kinley said.

'A lack of effective passage planning is extremely unsafe, particularly in areas like the Western Australia coastline. Like the Great Barrier Reef, this coastline has environmentally sensitive areas such as Ningaloo Reef and Houtman Abrolhos Islands, with Ningaloo Reef containing International Maritime Organization endorsed ‘Area to be Avoided’ ship routing measures.

'The PT Meratus Line has shown a disregard for international standards through repeated breaches and all ships operated by this company are now subject to inspections at every port call,' he said.

The Red Rover is the fourth vessel to be banned from Australian ports under the revised Navigation Act which came into effect in July 2013.