Ship Safety Division News

Representatives of the Port State Control Committee, the governing body under the Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Asia-Pacific Region (Tokyo MOU), convened last week in Putrajaya, for its 26th meeting. The authorities of Peru and Panama applied for full membership, and their applications were unanimously accepted, bringing the total number of Tokyo MOU member authorities to 21, plus a number of observers. The October 5-8 meeting was chaired by Abdul Samad Bin Shaik Osman…

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) informs that it has issued a direction to the container ship 'Vega Auriga' (IMO 9347786) that prohibits the ship from using or entering any Australian ports due to repeated breaches relating to seafarer welfare and maintenance of the ship. The Vega Auriga has been detained by AMSA on three occasions since 25 July 2013 with repeated concerns for the welfare of the crew including improper payment of wages, inadequate living and working conditions and inadequate maintenance resulting in an unseaworthy and substandard vessel. General Manager of AMSA’s Ship Safety Division, Allan Schwartz said vessels entering Australian ports must ensure they meet minimum international standards.

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal last week affirmed the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s (AMSA) detention of a Liberian flagged vessel SCF Yenisei, in Queensland in October 2013. The manager of the vessel sought to have the detention of the vessel downgraded at the tribunal, alleging the deficiency identified by an AMSA port marine surveyor was not serious enough to warrant detention. AMSA Ship Safety Division General Manager Allan Schwartz said the tribunal decision had affirmed AMSA’s decision to detain the vessel, which had sailed to Mackay via Hydrographers Passage from Kawasaki without the appropriate navigational charts.

A world leading collaborative research project between the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), the University of Queensland and the University of Western Australia will investigate the safety culture of shipping operations over a three-year period. AMSA, and UQ have obtained a linkage grant through the Australian Research Council (ARC) to examine the predictors and outcomes of safety culture in the Australian maritime industry. Ship Safety Division general manager Allan Schwartz said the findings from the project would be used to improve safety policies, regulations and practices that aim to reduce the number of accidents and incidents in Australian waters.

Top Society Announces Further Expansion in Germany. ClassNK announced that it has earned authorization from Germany’s BG Verkehr to carry out surveys on behalf of the German Government, and will be further expanding its operations in the leading ship owning nation. The announcement was made during a reception to commemorate the authorization at the prestigious Hafen-Klub on 11 February 2013. As the notified body for German flagged vessels under the EU Maritime Equipment Directive (MED 96/98/EC)…

Australian Parliament's new maritime legislation will revamp Australian maritime regulatory responsibilites in 2013. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) will become the national regulator for all domestic commercial vessels in Australia, with state and Northern Territory maritime agencies exercising AMSA delegations in administering national standards. The new Navigation Act 2012 will modernise the way international shipping is regulated by AMSA, providing for high levels of safety and protection of the marine environment through transparent and flexible regulation. The Regulatory Affairs and Reform Division will become the Domestic Vessel Division.

With the aim of making it easier for yards, shipping companies, administrations and other interested parties to incorporate new IMO regulations and guidelines in their work, and thereby to prevent delays and unnecessary costs, Germanischer Lloyd has now for the first time published the “IMO Pilot 1999/2000” as a handy reference for daily use. This document will be published regularly as an updated version. International shipping legislation is subject to constant change. This affects the technical and operational standards for shipping safety, as well as aspects of quality and the environment. In a clear format, the “IMO Pilot 1999/2000” summarizes all the current or expected regulations of relevance to the shipping world.