Oslo-listed shipowner Hoegh Autoliners saw one of its older car carriers detained in the UK last month after failing a port state control inspection.
The 6,500-ceu Hoegh Transporter (built 1999) was stopped at the port of Southampton on 15 November after inspectors uncovered three deficiencies, two of which were deemed serious enough to warrant detention.
One of those deficiencies was related to the International Safety Management Code while inspectors also found that the embarkation arrangement for the vessel’s survival craft was not properly maintained.
The Norwegian-flagged ship was released from detention three days later on 18 November 2023.
Five years ago, the same ship was detained at the UK port of Tyne by Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) surveyors also for an ISM infringement.
The Hoegh Transporter was among six new detentions of foreign-flagged vessels in a UK port during November 2023.
One of the most serious detentions was that of the 23,233-dwt bulker Saadet C (built 2009), which was detained at the port of Immingham.
Inspectors uncovered 44 deficiencies onboard the Panama-flagged vessel, including eight that were grounds for detention.
Another vessel, the 24,765-dwt general cargo vessel Cornelia (built 2001), was stopped at the port of Hunterston after 24 deficiencies were uncovered by MCA inspectors.
In October 2023, UK authorities detained three car carriers for failing PSC inspections including one that had a total of 50 deficiencies.
Ten of those deficiencies were sufficient for the 750-ceu Ro Queen (built 1995) to be detained at the port of Avonmouth in Bristol, south-west England.
The MCA publishes details of the foreign-flagged vessels detained in UK ports under the Paris MOU regime each month in response to one of the recommendations of Lord Donaldson’s inquiry into the prevention of pollution from merchant shipping.
