AMSA responds to incident of damaged livestock ship off Port of Geraldton

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has successfully brought a damaged vessel into the Port of Geraldton.

The Marshall Islands-flagged livestock carrier Barkly Pearl had sustained damage to its hull and was approximayely 120 kilometres north of Geraldton when the AMSA became involved.

On the evening (local time) of Monday, November 2, the AMSA tasked one of its search and rescue (SAR) aircraft to fly over the livestock carrier. The aircrew were able to confirm damage to the starboard side of the vessel, which was listing to port.

AMSA General Manager of Response Mark Morrow said there were significant concerns for the integrity of the vessel and its ability to safely reach Indonesia, its planned destination.

AMSA officials are currently working with Western Australian authorities to ensure that the vessel arrives safely in the Port of Geraldton safely. This includes managing any Covid-19 risks on arrival in line with state protocols.

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