The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has issued a 180-day ban on the Netherlands-flagged general cargo ship Marsgracht from entering Australian ports. This action follows two incidents this year where the vessel was found to have improperly stowed dangerous goods, violating the International Maritime Organization’s International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code.
“This recurrence highlights systemic failures in the ship’s safety management system and a serious lack of effective remedial action,” AMSA stated. The authority also noted that the Marsgracht is the fourth vessel from Spliethoff to breach dangerous goods storage regulations while operating in Australia since July 2022.
AMSA executive director of operations Michael Drake emphasized the seriousness of the issue: “When it comes to loading dangerous cargo, there is no scope for non-compliance. There is no excuse for disregarding these standards.”
