Australia Puts Giant Dunce Cap on PT Meratus Line

PT Meratus Line is most certainly one of the worst maritime shipping companies in the world, and Australia has had enough of their inability to properly operate their ships.

For the third time in four months, Australian maritime inspectors have found three different PT Meratus Line ships have been unable to meet international safety and/or environmental regulations.

On Saturday, their container ship Red Rover, like the two other ships detained before her, was found to lack effective passage planning and was failing to use appropriate charts and publications.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) banned the MV Meratus Sangatta in early January and the Territory Trader in November last year, for three months each, however with this latest detention on the heels of a very clear message from the AMSA, the Red Rover  being made an example of and will be banned for a full year.

This is the first time the AMSA has banned a vessel for such a duration.

Mick Kinley, CEO of the AMSA commented on the matter:

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.  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.

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