Indonesian-Flagged Cargo Ship Banned from Australian Waters

An Indonesian flagged general cargo ship has been banned by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) from entering or using any port in Australia for three months.

Noah Satu (IMO9313620) has been issued with a direction not to enter or use any port in Australia for three months, until 16 December 2015, after being detained by AMSA four times since August 2013, AMSA said.

The most recent detention was on 14 September 2015 at Port Alma, Queensland.

Noah Satu is owned by PT Anugerah Samudra Indomakur and operated by PT Adnyana. Both companies are based in Indonesia.

According to AMSA, the four detentions identified serious and repetitive failings in the vessel’s operations and maintenance to ensure compliance with the Safety of Life at Sea Convention and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships.

Namely, AMSA’s inspections identified deficiencies that included incorrect navigational charts; expired or unmaintained safety equipment; failing to undertake enclosed space entry drills; unapproved machinery configurations; records of hours of work and rest; inadequate food; inappropriate passage planning; recording of oil and garbage management; and repeated failure to comply with mandatory reporting requirements while transiting through the Great Barrier Reef area.

What is more, the shipboard safety management system was found to be inadequate to manage compliance with these mandatory rules and to ensure the ship was capable of responding to emergency situations.

“The unsafe operation of vessels poses an unacceptable risk to seafarers and the environment and AMSA treats any breaches of international shipping standards very seriously,” AMSA Chief Executive Officer, Mick Kinley said.

“Ships that continually demonstrate non-compliance with Australian standards are not welcome in Australian waters.”

This is the fifth vessel to be banned from Australian ports under the Navigation Act 2012 which came into effect in July 2013.

Image: Hafen Hamburg