APL England Detained as Australia Finds Equipment Problems
Inspections of the ship has found inadequate lashing arrangements for cargo and heavily corroded securing points for containers on the deck.
"These findings constitute a clear breach of a requirement under SOLAS to ensure that a ship and its equipment are maintained so as not to present a risk to the safety of the ship itself or anyone on board the ship,” said AMSA General Manager of Operations Allan Schwartz. “The detention will not be lifted until these serious deficiencies are rectified."
The APL England is currently being detained in the Port of Brisbane and the detention will not be lifted until these serious deficiencies are fixed. This is a now matter for the ship’s owner, American President Lines (APL), and the operator to rectify.
Investigations
All findings will form part of AMSA’s ongoing investigation and, while not to pre-empt the outcomes of the investigation, it is clear that the risk of container loss could have been reduced.
Actions
AMSA expects the ship owner and its insurer to take full responsibility for addressing any impacts of this incident.
We have heard today the insurer is already engaging contractors to retrieve some of the floating containers.
AMSA’s Challenger jet continued its search last night with an aerial survey of the New South Wales coastline to assist in locating and identifying semi-submerged containers in the water. The search identified two targets which we now know are five containers, including one set of four containers locked together.
Photo South Coast NSW Floating debris spotted by AMSA's aircraft - courtesy of AMSA
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