As well as being ordered to fix a number of deficiencies before departure, local media have reported that the ship has been placed off hire since its cargo was unloaded as the ship is unable to fulfill its charter duties.
"We've offhired it because it couldn't do what it was supposed to do," MSC New Zealand operations manager Mike Hodgins told Bay of Plenty Times. "Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has said it's not allowed back in Australia for three months at the moment which was what it was supposed to do."
Vega Auriga had been sailing between Sydney and Brisbane in Australia, Noumea in New Caledonia and Tauranga, New Zealand on MSC New Zealand's Noumea service.
The deficiencies discovered in New Zealand included insufficient rest periods for watchkeepers, use of the ECDIS unit for navigation and a number of maintenance issues. A total of 14 issues were found, 11 of which must be rectified before the ship leaves port.
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