Nine vessels out of nineteen were detained in West and East Sepik provinces after the National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) conducted a successful inspection.
The inspection was conducted last week as part of NMSA’s efforts to clamp down on any ship owners and operators who knowingly operate unseaworthy vessels within the Maritime Provinces, and to identify the exact number of vessels operating within the country and for compliance purposes.
The initial inspection by NMSA started in West New Britain where eight out of eleven vessels were detained in September of this year. The inspection was conducted by Vanimo based Officer-In-Charge, Aaron Tupa and Manager –Investigation & Enforcement, Joseph Pyawan.
Inspection areas covered were Sera and Aitape in West Sepik, Wewak, Awain and Kanduanum in East Sepik Province.
In the Sera and Aitape areas, eleven vessels were inspected respectively. Of those, five were detained. Meanwhile, nine vessels in Wewak, Awain and Kanduanum were inspected and four detained.
A report mentioned that vessels MT Shun Shang 1 and DB Tai Han 8 were inspected and detained in Awain log pond in Wewak after attempting to ferry 51 people to Wewak and Kupiano in Central Province.
The report further stated that both vessels were inspected and detained at the Wewak wharf as they were pumping diesel oil into the barge. The vessels are now under detention.
Community leaders in other Maritime Provinces and police officers are encouraged to work together to prevent unwarranted sea incidents to occur due to operations of unseaworthy vessels during the festive season, considering the country is facing wet weather conditions.