Australia hands out lengthy ban to gas carrier

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has banned Hong Kong-flagged LNG carrier CESI Qingdao from Australian waters for 180 days.

The ship was detained in Gladstone in November, following a vessel blackout which caused major disruptions at the port. 

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 vessel was towed overseas to China for repairs. 

“The response of the master and ship managers throughout the repair process necessitated stronger compliance action from AMSA,” the Australian regulator stated. 

The Chinese-owned LNG tanker blocked three other gas shipments from arriving on time when it broke down two months ago. 

The CESI Qingdao is a regular caller at the terminal as part of a dedicated export operation. Sinopec and COSCO are among the ship’s shareholders.