The Papua New Guinea-flagged, 1999-built, 4,322 gt vessel Kiunga Chief has been banned from entering Australian ports for three months.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said the vessel was banned after being detained for the third time in 18 months. It said the Kiunga Chief had been issued a total of 79 deficiencies by AMSA between 14 August 2015 and 29 May 2017.
“The ship has now gone to an anchorage within the port to undergo an inspection by its class society, before it continues its voyage. The three-month ban will take effect once the vessel leaves the port,” AMSA said on Monday.
“Despite numerous opportunities for improvement, the operator of Kiunga Chief has consistently failed to provide a safe workplace for crew or meet minimum applicable standards, and as such, this ship is unwelcome in Australian waters,” said Stephen Curry, AMSA’s acting general manager of operations.
“Let this be a reminder that sub-standard ships will not be tolerated in Australia.”
The Australian authorities have taken a strong stance against sub-standard shipping banning a number of vessels that have consistently failed to meet the standards set out in international conventions.
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