A Chinese-controlled LNG carrier that broke down last year, blocking an export terminal, has been banned from calling in Australia for six months.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority issued a notice refusing access to domestic ports to the China Energy Shipping Investment Co-owned, 174,300-cbm Cesi Qingdao (built 2017) until 20 June for being in contravention of an AMSA detention notice.
The authority said: “The ship was detained in Gladstone [Queensland] in November, following a vessel blackout which caused major disruptions at the Port of Gladstone.
“For several weeks, AMSA worked with the master and operator whilst extensive repairs to the ship were carried out. Notably, four generators required repairs, only one of which was repaired after being completely rebuilt under the supervision of the engine manufacturers.
“The response of the master and ship managers throughout the repair process necessitated stronger compliance action from AMSA.”
It said the vessel was towed to China for repairs.
The Cesi Qingdao lost power on 22 November when it loaded a cargo at Origin Energy’s Australia Pacific LNG Curtis Island terminal off Australia’s east coast.
The breakdown blocked at least three loadings at the facility’s single jetty.
It was freed up in early December when the ship was moved to an anchorage for further repairs in an operation coordinated by Gladstone Ports, Maritime Safety Queensland and the AMSA.
According to the Tokyo MOU on port state control database, the Hong Kong-flagged, Lloyd’s Register-classed vessel was detained in Gladstone on 23 November and released on 23 December.
PSC inspectors cited deficiencies with the cargo transfer equipment, emergency fire pump and its pipes and main engine propulsion.
The Cesi Qingdao is managed by China Energy Ship Management, which earlier confirmed that it had a propulsion failure while at the berth.
In June 2018, a sister ship, the 174,300-cbm Cesi Gladstone (built 2016), suffered a main engine outage that resulted in a loss of propulsion while on passage from Australia to China.
Both ships, two of six vessels built at China’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) to ship cargoes from Australia for Sinopec, are fitted with MAN Energy Solutions dual-fuel diesel-electric propulsion systems.
CESI is a joint venture between Mitsui OSK Lines, Cosco Shanghai LNG and Sinopec.
