Two general cargo vessels were detained in November and will be refused further access to any port and anchorage in the Paris MOU region.
The 27-year old general cargo vessel ‘MV Georgiana’ was detained in Tsiggelion, Amaliapolis, Greece on 9 November, after 11 deficiencies were found of which 5 were detainable. This is more than twice detentions in the course of preceding 36 months in a port or anchorage within the Paris MoU region. The ship flies the flag of Togo, which is black on the current Paris MoU WGB list.
In addition, the 41-year old general cargo vessel ‘Little Wind’ was detained in port of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, on 24 November, for 8 deficiencies of which 5 were detainable. This is the third detention in the Paris MoU region within the last 18 months. The ship flies the flag of Tanzania, which is also black on the Paris MoU list.
Both ships will be refused further access to any port and anchorage in the Paris MOU region, except a port and anchorage of the ships’ flag States. This refusal of access will become applicable immediately after they are authorized to leave this port and anchorage.
As this is the second refusal of access order for ‘MV Georgiana’, the period of the refusal of access will be 12 months. For ‘Little Wind’, this is the first refusal of access, so the period of the refusal will be 3 months.
“Your attention is drawn to the provisions of Section 4.4 of the Paris MOU, Article 21.6 of EU Council Directive 2009/16/EC1, which allow access to a specific port and anchorage in the event of force majeure or overriding safety considerations, or to reduce or minimize the risk of pollution or to have deficiencies rectified, provided that adequate measures to the satisfaction of the competent authority of such State have been implemented by the company or the master of the ship to ensure safe entry,” Paris MoU advised.