AMSA bans vessel from Australian ports for three months

Monday 21 September 2015
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has banned an Indonesian flagged general cargo ship from entering or using any port in Australia for three months.
Media Release

Noah Satu (IMO9313620) has been issued with a direction not to enter or use any port in Australia for three months after being detained by AMSA four times since August 2013. The ban will remain in place until 16 December 2015.

The most recent detention was on 14 September 2015 at Port Alma, Queensland.

Noah Satu is owned by PT Anugerah Samudra Indomakur and operated by PT Adnyana. Both companies are based in Indonesia.

The four detentions identified serious and repetitive failings in the vessel’s operations and maintenance to ensure compliance with the Safety of Life at Sea Convention and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships.

AMSA’s inspections identified deficiencies in relation to Noah Satu that included incorrect navigational charts; expired or unmaintained safety equipment; failing to undertake enclosed space entry drills; unapproved machinery configurations; records of hours of work and rest; inadequate food; inappropriate passage planning; recording of oil and garbage management; and repeated failure to comply with mandatory reporting requirements while transiting through the Great Barrier Reef area. The shipboard safety management system was found to be inadequate to manage compliance with these mandatory rules and to ensure the ship was capable of responding to emergency situations.

AMSA Chief Executive Officer, Mick Kinley, said Australia is a signatory to the International Maritime Organization and International Labour Organization conventions and AMSA takes its responsibilities seriously to ensure compliance with all international safety conventions.

“The unsafe operation of vessels poses an unacceptable risk to seafarers and the environment and AMSA treats any breaches of international shipping standards very seriously,” Mr Kinley said.

“Ships that continually demonstrate non-compliance with Australian standards are not welcome in Australian waters.”

This is the fifth vessel to be banned from Australian ports under the Navigation Act 2012 which came into effect in July 2013.