The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) detained the APL England in the Port of Brisbane on May 27, ass the inspection revealed that the lashing of the cargo was heavily corroded.
Specifically, AMSA inspected the vessel and found out that lashing arrangements for cargo were inadequate and securing points for containers on the deck of the ship were heavily corroded.
The vessel’s detention follows the loss of approximately 40 containers off Sydney on Sunday.
It should be reminded that lashing arrangements on containers is a major activity. Recently, Gard highlighted that a challenge is over-tightening, which leads in the lashing rods coming under excessive strain which can increase the pre-tension by a few tonnes leading to their failure when under load.
AMSA General Manager of Operations Allan Schwartz stated that the findings of the inspection revealed 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.
Schwartz added that
The detention will not be lifted until these serious deficiencies are rectified. That is now a matter for the ship’s owner, American President Lines (ALP), and operator to rectify.
He concluded that the Authority expected the ship owner and its insurer, Steamship Mutual, to take full responsibility for remediating any impacts of this incident.
