Due to poor performance and critical maintenance issues reported by MSC Shipmanagement, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has denied entry to the Liberian-flagged containership “MSC KYMEA II” in Australian ports for 90 days. AMSA conducted an inspection of the vessel, which was built in 2006, and identified 21 deficiencies, including defective fire safety systems, hazardous storage of flammable materials, a faulty free-fall lifeboat steering system, and several corroded or missing safety chains on railings used to protect cargo handlers from falls while securing cargo.
AMSA had previously found a corroded fuel-oil tank air pipe on another MSC-operated vessel during an inspection almost two weeks earlier. Furthermore, an attempt to conceal the damage from authorities was made by wrapping the corroded area in canvas and painting over it, aggravating the situation.
