The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has issued its fourth ban of the year on a cargo ship, this time citing "unsafe cargo operations" as the reason for denying entry to Australian ports. AMSA emphasized that the increased enforcement actions are intended to send a strong message to operators that safety and environmental risks will not be tolerated in Australia.
The Dutch-flagged general cargo ship Marsgracht (12,284 dwt), operated by Spliethoff, was issued a "refusal of access," barring the vessel from Australian ports for 180 days. AMSA reported that the ship was detained on November 14 during a port state inspection at Port Alma for "improper stowage of dangerous goods."
Built in 2011, the Marsgracht is 466 feet (142 meters) in length. According to the specifications posted by Spliethoff, the vessel is designed for the carriage of dangerous goods across all IMO (International Maritime Organization) classes.
AMSA noted that this was the second time the Marsgracht had been detained in Australia. The first detention occurred in February at the same port, where the ship was cited for the same issue of improper stowage of dangerous goods.
"This recurrence highlights systemic failures in the ship's safety management system and a serious lack of effective remedial action," AMSA said in its announcement of the latest ban.
However, the issue also appears to be part of a broader dispute between the shipping company and Australian regulators. AMSA reported that this detention marks the fourth incident since July 2022 in which a Spliethoff-operated vessel failed to comply with regulations regarding the stowage of dangerous goods.
AMSA contends that this reflects a wider pattern of non-compliance and poor performance, undermining the safety of seafarers and the Australian marine environment. Spliethoff is now considered a "poor-performing" operator, having been re-listed on the Australian regulatory watchlist on February 8, 2024. As a result, all ships operated by the company are now subject to quarterly inspections as part of ongoing compliance activities. AMSA has stated that it will review the performance of Spliethoff's operations after 12 months.
"AMSA takes its role as a maritime safety regulator very seriously and will not hesitate to take swift and appropriate action against unsafe ships, their owners, and operators," said Michael Drake, AMSA's Executive Director of Operations. "When it comes to the loading of dangerous cargo, there is no room for non-compliance. International minimum standards exist to protect the lives of seafarers and safeguard our precious marine and coastal environments."
In the first half of 2024, AMSA banned three other vessels from Australian ports, citing issues including poor maintenance and failure to comply with reporting requirements to Australian authorities. The number of bans issued has decreased from 2023, when nine vessels were barred from Australian ports.