Media Release

Ship deficiencies falling

The standard of shipping entering Australia is continuing to improve with the number of deficiencies per ship falling in 2001, figures from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority show.

AMSA surveyors detected an average of 3.03 deficiencies per ship last year, compared with 3.28 in 2000, 3.88 in 1999 and 4.26 in 1998.

'While there was a decrease of only 13 ship inspections in 2001 compared with that of 2000, the total number of deficiencies in fact decreased by nearly 800,' AMSA’s 2001 Port State Control report says.

More than 120 ships were detained in Australian ports last year after serious deficiencies were detected by AMSA. Fire-fighting equipment and life-saving appliances were the two areas where most problems were found.

'Their combined portion in the total number of deficiencies however has dropped from 33% in 2000 to 30.7% in 2001,' the report says.

In 2001, 127 ships registered in 35 countries including Australia were observed to have deficiencies sufficiently serious enough to warrant detention. 2913 ships were inspected.

Overall, 4.36% of inspected ships were detained last year, slightly up from 4.3 % in 2000 (125 ships). This compares with a detention rate of 5.3% in 1999, 6.8 % in 1998 and 6.5% in 1997 (203 ships).

AMSA Chief Executive Officer Clive Davidson said the slight increase in the detention rate in 2001 was most likely a consequence of targeted inspection campaigns carried out during the year.

'AMSA conducted several focused inspection campaigns last year on a number of key areas including communications, bridge visibility and collision avoidance, crew living conditions and cargo management,' Mr Davidson said.

Media contact:

AMSA Public Relations: 02-6279 5888

(Port State Control is the inspection of foreign vessels to ensure compliance with international maritime safety conventions. Unseaworthy ships are detained until their deficiencies have been rectified.)

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