Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) has cleared the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) -banned containership, the 'Vega Auriga', to depart New Zealand's Port of Tauranga after addressing various "deficiencies".
The Vega Reederei-owned vessel had been plying the New Zealand-Australia-Noumea service of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) when the AMSA banned it from entering the country due to crew welfare issues.
Having undertaken a thorough Port State Control inspection upon the vessel's subsequent arrival at Tauranga, MNZ senior media advisor Sophie Hazelhurst said a total of 14 deficiencies were identified, of which 11 had to be rectified prior to the ship leaving port.
"The deficiencies included items related to maintenance, seaworthiness and crew rest periods," said Ms Hazelhurst.
"Some of the deficiencies contravened Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers requirements relating to rest periods and watchkeeping.
"MNZ did a follow up inspection of the ship … and confirmed that the 11 deficiencies requiring action prior to departure had been dealt with satisfactorily."
Concerns have been raised in some quarters that such safety and seafarer welfare issue-plagued vessels – the 'Vega Auriga' having been detained three times at Australian ports since July 2013 – are still being seen in New Zealand waters.
MSC, which was also the charterer of the 'Rena', has subsequently off-hired the 11,809-DWT and 2006-built vessel.
Iain MacIntyre
