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Monday, 11 March 2013

'Tanzanian' tug detained after failing Newlyn port inspection


Juliette Pride alongside the quay in Newlyn.

The Juliette Pride I, which is owned by a Nigerian oil trader, was smuggled out of Newlyn in the dead of night this week.

The MCA has confirmed that the tug has "jumped detection" but said there was little that could be done once she entered international waters.

A tug flying a Tanzanian flag has been detained in Newlyn, one of nine foreign flagged ships under detention in UK ports during January after failing Port State Control inspection.

The Juliette Pride I was found to have seventeen deficiencies - ten of which gave the Maritime and Costguard Agency (MCA) grounds for detention.

The vessel was detained in Newlyn as the lifebuoys certificate had expired; lifejackets had lights missing and the HRU (Hydrostatic Release Unit) had expired; the certificates for endorsement by the flagstate was missing and the minimum safe manning document were not as required.

Gauzes on the fuel tanks air pipes were badly corroded and large boats and machinery were not secured on deck.

The navigation charts and lights were not as required and some hydrants did not have water available for fire fighting.

Other deficiencies identified included a lack of immersion suits; an expired safe manning document; full fore peak ballast tanks that had no means of pumping out to empty; a stability book and nautical publications not as required and an unhygienic store room.

Latest monthly figures show that there were six new detentions of foreign flagged vessels in UK ports during January and three vessels remained under detention from previous months.

The overall rate of detentions compared with inspections carried out over the last twelve months was 3.64 per cent, which is slightly up from December’s twelve month rate.

Out of the nine foreign flagged ships under detention, Juliette Pride I was the only one registered with a flag state on the Paris MOU black list.