Australia Imposes 180-Day Ban On Indian Bulk Carrier For Safety Violations

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has reportedly issued a 180-day prohibition on the Indian bulk carrier Darya Shaan due to safety risks.

The AMSA says the operator, Anglo-Eastern Ship Management (India), repeatedly failed to report defects to the primary engine and machinery as the vessel entered Australian ports.

AMSA inspectors onboarded the Indian-flagged vessel on 26 April at the Port of Melbourne.

They discovered multiple maintenance issues, including impaired engine control and monitoring systems, faulty alarm monitoring systems, impaired generator starting arrangements, and a safety management mechanism that failed to ensure adequate maintenance and defect reporting.

AMSA was informed that the operator was notified of severe safety concerns before reaching Australia.

Michael Drake, the Executive Director of Operations associated with AMSA, warned that disregarding vessel engine maintenance can harm the marine environment and crew safety.

Negligence can cause a vessel to lose power during crucial navigation, resulting in possible groundings/collisions.

Drake mentioned that the operator was aware of the defects but did not report them to the AMSA, which is appalling and much deserving of a 180-day ban.

This was an obvious attempt to conceal the severe defects from the Australian authorities and displays a disregard for the safety of the vessel, its crew members and the marine environment.

Drake added that AMSA has observed a rise in the number of main engine defects and has started taking action against substandard vessels.

Marine Notice 10/2022 was issued in November 2022 to ensure that the GB operators knew their responsibilities.

If Anglo Eastern had complied with its obligations and documented the defects, AMSA wouldn’t have detained the vessel under state control methods.

Drake declared that they would have constructively worked with the operator to ensure the vessel’s safety and meeting of convention needs.

Reference: AP

Australia Imposes 180-Day Ban On Indian Bulk Carrier For Safety Violations appeared first on Marine Insight – The Maritime Industry Guide

Source: Maritime Shipping News