German-operated ship banned from Australian waters due to safety issues

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has banned a second vessel owned by German shipping company Briese Heavylift from Australian waters in a crackdown on unsafe and unseaworthy vessels.

​AMSA issued a 180-day ban on the general cargo ship BBC Pearl after inspectors found multiple failures of the safety management system as well as a defective emergency generator and defective fire dampers during a port state control inspection in Cairns.

​The vessel was detained in Cairns for four days until the serious deficiencies were rectified before it proceeded to Port Hedland where the banning notice was issued.

​This is the second banning of a Briese Heavylift vessel in the past month, following the 90-day ban issued to BBC Weser on June 12.

This operator has a history of poor performance, with AMSA issuing multiple warnings that future safety violations would lead to strict enforcement action.

​AMSA Executive Director of Operations Michael Drake said that the safety violations on BBC Pearl were alarming and posed a real safety risk to the seafarers on board.

​”The defective emergency generator would render the vessel helpless in the event of a main power supply failure, and this is the second time BBC Pearl has been detained for a defective emergency generator,” Mr Drake said. “These are clear violations of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.”

​A longer ban of 180 days was imposed on BBC Pearl to inform any poor-performing operator that Australia finds these conditions to be unacceptable, added Mr Drake.