Fall in foreign ships detained for safety breaches
There was a 38% drop in the number of foreign flag ships detained in 2004 in Ireland for violating international safety standards, the Department of Communication, Marine and Natural Resources said today.
There were 22 detentions of foreign flagships, including general cargo ships and container ships, in 2004 compared to 35 in 2003, the maritime safety directorate of the department said.
The vessels were detained when they posed significant threat to their crews and coastline of Ireland.
Grounds for detention includes safety concerns, structural concerns with the ship, the qualifications of the crew and evidence that they don’t know how to operate the vessel’s equipment.
Most of the ships held in port were registered in small island countries, with seven of the 22 detained coming from Antigua and Barbuda and three from St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Ships from the Netherlands, the Netherland Antilles, Lebanon, Hong Kong, Georgia, Panama and Belize were also detained.
For more minor deficiencies, a ship has 14 days to rectify the problem and is entered on a European-wide database which ensures it will be inspected next time it docks in port.
There were 1,393 deficiencies noted on foreign flagships in 2004, a 30% decrease on 2003 when 1990 faults were found.
Most related to navigational safety, fire-fighting arrangements, life-saving appliances and crew living and working conditions.
There were 434 deficiencies relating to navigational safety and 220 relating to fire safety.
More than 400 foreign flagships were inspected by department surveyors in Irish ports during the year and the results have been published in the annual report on Port State Control activities for Ireland.
Port State Control is the enforcement of rigid measures to make sure that foreign flagships comply with international marine treaties covering safety standards and anti-pollution controls.
It is organised on a regional basis in Europe and the directorate said that the improvement in the standard of ships in Irish waters may reflect the success of the regional agreements in reducing the number of substandard vessels.
