The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has imposed its fourth prohibition this year on a cargo vessel, citing “hazardous cargo handling” as the reason for barring entry to Australian shores. AMSA intensified its regulatory actions to make clear that threats to safety and the environment are unacceptable.
The Dutch-registered cargo vessel Marsgracht (12,284 dwt), managed by Spliethoff, was issued a 180-day exclusion following a port inspection on November 14 at Port Alma. Inspectors identified “unsafe storage of hazardous materials,” marking the ship’s second detention this year for the same infraction. Built in 2011, the vessel is equipped to transport hazardous goods.
AMSA stated that these repeated offences reveal significant shortcomings in the vessel’s safety protocols and ineffective corrective measures. This is part of a larger issue involving Spliethoff-managed ships, which have been detained four times since mid-2022 for similar violations. AMSA has labelled Spliethoff a low-performing operator and placed its fleet under mandatory inspections every three months. The company’s compliance record will be reassessed after 12 months.
Michael Drake, AMSA’s Operations Director, reiterated the agency’s dedication to maritime safety, warning that non-adherence to cargo regulations endangers lives and ecosystems. Earlier in 2024, AMSA barred three other vessels over maintenance and reporting failures, although this is fewer than the nine bans issued in 2023.