Seven Detained Ships by UK PSC in August 2012

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) announced today that seven foreign flagged ships were under detention in UK ports during August 2012 after failing Port State Control (PSC) inspection. Latest monthly figures show that there was one new detention of foreign flagged ships in UK ports during August 2012 and six vessels remained under detention from previous months.

From the detained vessels:

Four were registered with a flag state listed on the Paris MOU white list
One was registered with a flag state on the grey list
None were registered with a flag state on the black list
One was unregistered and one was registered with a flag state that was not included on the Paris MOU white, grey or black lists

SHIPS IN DETENTION IN AUGUST 2012

1. Date and Place of detention: 6 August 2012 Tyne (the vessel was released on 9 August 2012)

Vessel type: Bulk Carrier,
GT: 22,137,
Flag: Hong Kong,
Classification Society: Bureau Veritas (BV)

Eleven deficiencies including two grounds for detention. The vessel was detained in Tyne for four days because the rescue boat would not hoist unless the brake was physically held down. Also there were a large number of Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) related deficiencies which were objective evidence of a serious failure or lack of effectiveness of implementation of the ISM code on board the vessel. Other Deficiencies included:

some crew were not meeting the hours of rest requirements
the means of escape from the main deck was locked from the outside
the remote wires operating the four engine room louvres were broken
the emergency generator, funnel and air conditioning room ventilators could not be closed
numerous fire doors did not close and latch or the latches were broken
the bottom step of the starboard gangway was damaged
an electrical connection near the forecastle was unsafe
port liferaft overside light and lower foremast light were inoperative

2. Date and Place of detention: 19 June 2012 Portland (the vessel was still detained at 31 August 2012)

Vessel type: General Cargo Ship,
GT: 3,120,
Flag: Panama,
Classification Society: International Maritime Bureau

Forty deficiencies including twelve grounds for detention. The vessel was detained in Portland because the fire damper was seized and the MF/HF Radio Installation was inoperative. Significant findings related to the structure and watertight integrity including:

significantly corroded and holed bulkhead between the cargo hold and ballast tank
two areas where corrosion had holed accommodation bulkheads
corroded and ineffective closing devices on hold vents and missing focsle hatch cover securing arrangements
corroded and holed access trunking, cargo hold cable gooseneck and focsle hatch cover

The inspection was suspended and the vessel detained with the requirement that the Master request the attendance of the Flag State or Registered Organisation to oversee repairs and confirm rectification of the noted deficiencies and also carry out additional surveys.

3. Date and Place of detention: 11 June 2012 Liverpool (the vessel was released on 28 August 2012)

Vessel type: Oil Tanker
GT: 992
Flag: Nigeria
Classification Society: Lloyds Register of Shipping (LR)

Ten deficiencies including ten grounds for detention. Subsequent visits to the vessel found additional deficiencies amounting to a total of thirteen of which ten were detainable. The vessel was detained in Liverpool for seventy-nine days because the following statutory certificates were not on board:

Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate,
Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate,
Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificate,
Document of Compliance (ISM),
Safety Management Certificate (ISM),
Load Line Certificate,
Prevention of Pollution Certificate,
International Air Pollution Prevention Certificate and
International Ship Security Certificate.

The copies of the certificates were confirmed by the flag state to be forged. Also the crew for the intended voyage, as specified in the minimum safe manning document, were not on board.

4. Date and Place of detention: 23 May 2012 Glasgow (the vessel was released on 1 August 2012)

Vessel type: General Cargo
GT: 1,409
Flag: Curacao
Classification Society: Germanischer Lloyd (GL)

Fourteen deficiencies including five grounds for detention. Subsequent visits to the vessel found additional deficiencies amounting to a total of sixteen of which five were detainable. The vessel was detained in Glasgow for seventy-one days because:

the bulkhead at frame 108 was cracked
the side shell frame 111 was detached
the side shell frame 110 was buckled
top of frame 113 and deckhead bracket were missing
the bulkhead on frame 112 was not repaired as required

Other deficiencies included:

the identity cards on the inflatable liferafts were not completed
the whistle was missing from the bridge lifejacket
air pipe closing devices were not secured properly
the stability information provided was not in the working language of the vessel
line throwing appliances were not ready for use and some charts had not been updated

5. Date and Place of detention: 9 September 2011 Liverpool (the vessel was still detained at 31 August 2012)

Vessel type: General Cargo
GT: 3,660
Flag: Antigua & Barbuda
Classification Society: Lloyds Register of Shipping (LR)

Seventeen deficiencies including one ground for detention. The vessel was detained in Liverpool because there were a large number of Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) related deficiencies which were objective evidence of a serious failure or lack of effectiveness of implementation of the ISM code on board the vessel.Other deficiencies identified included:

the main engine was defective
also the engine room was very oily in some areas
the five year service on the immersion suit in the engine room had expired
there was no evidence that the freefall lifeboat had been manoeuvred in the water within the last 3 months
there was no evidence that the freefall lifeboat had been freefall launched within the last 6 months
the deck officer was not familiar with launching the starboard life raft by davit

6. Date and Place of detention: 8 November 2010 Birkenhead (the vessel was still detained at 31 August 2012)

Vessel type: General Cargo
GT: 1,972
Flag: Panama
Classification Society: Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RMRS)

Twelve deficiencies including four grounds for detention. The vessel was detained in Birkenhead because:

the engine room was very dirty
there were fuel oil leaks
a major non conformity was identified with respect to the lack of maintenance of the ship and equipment

Other deficiencies identified included:

the crew/officers records of rest were not signed
the crew accommodation was no longer provided with steam heating
the galley needed cleaning
there was insufficient fruit and vegetables on board
the crew showers and toilets were dirty and the shower curtains missing and the laundry washing facilities were inadequate
the lifejacket lights were out of date
the aft deck was slippery underneath the deck generator
several fire doors were tied open

7. Date and Place of detention: 4 March 2010 – Lowestoft (the vessel was still detained at 31 August 2012)

Vessel type: General Cargo
GT: 106
Flag: Unregistered
Classification Society: Unclassed

Thirty deficiencies including seven grounds for detention. The vessel was detained in Lowestoft because the main fire pump was inoperative and there was no alternative fire pump outside the machinery space.

Other deficiencies found were: