Ships told to comply with laws

THE National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) is urging the shipping community to comply with the country’s maritime laws.
General manager and chief executive officer Paul Unas said the authority would not hesitate to impose the maximum penalty under the Merchant Shipping Act or impose criminal sanctions on anyone caught breaching these laws.
He issued the warning after a ship captain in Kavieng, New Ireland, was arrested and charged with taking an unseaworthy ship to sea.
It is understood the suspect appeared at the Kavieng committal court and the matter was adjourned to next month (September).
The captain was released on a police bail of K2,000.
According to the NMSA, the ship’s PNG Survey Certificate expired in 2018 and prior to that the certificate was never periodically endorsed by NMSA since its issuance in 2014.
“NMSA detained the ship in 2020 for operating without a PNG Survey Certificate,” Unas said.
“The ship is registered as a general cargo ship. The ship’s two life rafts were never serviced since 2017 and its 30 life jackets were mostly torn and not in any condition to use and all crew members are unqualified to man the vessel.”