AMSA issues 90-day ban to unsafe merchant ship.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has issued a 90-day ban to another merchant ship that it deems “unsafe and unseaworthy.” The Antigua Barbuda-flagged general cargo ship named BBC Weser, operated by Briese Heavylift, has been banned from Australian waters for 90 days. AMSA reports show that the vessel had previously been detained in May 2023 and had one detention in Newcastle. The 17-year-old vessel poses significant risks to the safety of its seafarers, Australia’s marine and coastal environments, and has detainable deficiencies that would have been obvious to anyone onboard.

The vessel’s operator is under a one-year review where AMSA says all its ships are eligible for inspection every three months as part of ongoing compliance activities. AMSA had twice contacted Briese Heavylift to warn them of their poor performance and the potential consequences of further detentions or more severe compliance and enforcement action. The safety regulator states that the vessel operator has a history of poor performance, with one in five of their ships being detained in Australia since May 2021. This rate is more than three times the average for ships visiting Australian waters.

Currently, AMSA is monitoring 18 managers or owners on its review list. This includes several well-known names, such as MSC Shipmanagement, COSCO Wallem Ship Management, Maersk (Safmarine), Mitsubishi Ore Transport Co., and Hoegh Autoliners. AMSA reports indicate that it continues to monitor operators who have shown a pattern of violations and is strictly enforcing safety regulations in Australia.

AMSA had also imposed a 90-day ban on a Panama-flagged bulk carrier Babuza Wisdom at the beginning of June for having a “plethora of detainable deficiencies,” including a defective rescue boat engine. Earlier this year, two other vessels were also banned, described as a “crackdown on poor performers” in the maritime industry. As Australia continues to monitor and enforce strict safety regulations, operators who flout these rules face severe consequences, including financial penalties, detainment, and bans from Australian waters.

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