AUSTRALIAN authorities have detained the MV Barkly Pearl (IMO: 9042295) following its safe arrival in the port of Geraldton, Western Australia.
As reported in Daily Cargo News this week, the vessel was seen to be listing to port and was directed to abort its voyage from Fremantle to Indonesia and make for the north-west coast of WA instead.
In a statement, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said they had worked with Western Australian authorities to monitor the vessel’s safe arrival.
On the vessel’s arrival in Geraldton last night, AMSA moved to detain the ship.
“AMSA will undertake an inspection of the vessel to determine how the damage was caused and how severe it is,” a spokesperson said.
“It is unknown what caused the damage at this stage. AMSA will speak to those on board as part of the inspection and will determine if further investigation is warranted.”
The spokesperson said AMSA would not allow any ship to sail from Australia that was unseaworthy.
“We have a robust regime of inspections and require any serious defects that are identified to be resolved before a vessel sails,” the spokesperson said.
“Where the vessel has serious issues, AMSA will detain it until those issues are addressed.”
Livestock ships, in particular, must have a pre-loading inspection at the first port of loading under AMSA’s regulations.
There were no livestock on board the vessel at the time.
There are 25 people aboard the livestock carrier, one being an Australian stockman. The Barkly Pearl was launched in 1993 and was flagged in the Marshall Islands.
