Indonesian Cargo Ship Banned from Australia for Second Time

An Indonesian cargo ship has been banned from Australian waters for the second time in less than twelve months and following five detentions in just over 3 years.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority issued the direction February 4th to the 86=meter general cargo ship Noah Satu (IMO No. 9313620) prohibiting the ship from entering or using any Australian port.

Noah Satu is owned by PT Anugerah Samudra Indomakur and was on charter to Orica Singapore.

AMSA says the Noah Satu has been detained by AMSA five times since August 2013 for deficiencies related to its equipment, its operations, its safety management system and non-compliance with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006). The safety management system detentions resulted from repeated failings related to navigation safety, compliance with pollution prevention requirements and fire safety.

The Noah Satu was previously banned from Australian ports for three months in September 2015 for repeated non-compliance with Australian maritime regulations. Due to it being the second ban, the current direction will remain in place for twelve months, until 2 February 2017.

The vessel was last detained when it returned to Australian waters on January 26, 2016 and failed a Port State Control inspection in Port Alma, Queensland over deficiencies related to the vessel’s safety management system for safe navigational practice, communications, pollution prevention arrangements, firefighting systems and hours of work and rest for the seafarers.

In visits to Australian ports over the past year, the vessel has also failed to comply with all the mandatory reporting requirements for vessels transiting the Great Barrier Reef area, according to the AMSA.

AMSA also identified serious and repeated failings in the vessel’s operations and maintenance, indicating the vessel is unable to ensure compliance with the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS), the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) and MLC 2006.

AMSA Chief Executive Officer, Mick Kinley, said AMSA has a responsibility to ensure ships visiting Australian ports comply with the standards established by the International Maritime Organization and the International Labour Organization.

“The performance of this vessel is completely unacceptable. Unsafe vessels put the lives of seafarers at risk and pose a threat to Australia’s marine environment,” Kinley said.

“Operators and charterers of ships that repeatedly fail to meet Australian standards need to accept that these ships are not welcome in Australian waters.”

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