Australia stops Cyprus ship access over safety concerns

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has taken decisive action, imposing a three-month ban on the Cypriot-flagged bulk carrier Peace from accessing Australian ports due to serious safety concerns.

Managed by Danaos Shipping Co., a leading global container ship operator and the exclusive manager of Danaos Corporation (NYSE: DAC), the vessel recently re-entered the dry bulk market.

This decision comes after a series of incidents involving Danaos Shipping, including the extended detention of another vessel, the Suez Canal, in January 2024.

Greg Witherall, AMSA’s Acting Executive Director of Operations, expressed deep concern about other ships operated by Danaos Shipping and announced an increase in inspection frequency.

Witherall revealed that Danaos Shipping had been formally cautioned in January 2024 regarding systemic issues leading to the detention of the Suez Canal. However, it seems that the warning had little impact.

"It's clear that our warning was ignored. Just five months later, another Danaos Shipping vessel, the Peace, was detained in an Australian port due to poor maintenance and significant deterioration of key components like hatches," Witherall remarked.

He described the condition of the Peace as posing "a tangible and unacceptable risk to the safety of crew members and Australia’s marine environment." The ban was put in place following the Peace's detention in Newcastle due to failures in watertight and weathertight integrity, which were only recently addressed.

"Withholding maintenance on a vessel to this extent is completely unacceptable – there are no justifications for such neglect," Witherall emphasized.

He also warned of potential further actions against Danaos Shipping if the company persists in operating unsafe ships.

[Information sourced from G Captain]