The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji says from today all ships by Goundar Shipping Limited will not be in operation as it will be detained for not complying with safe ships management system laws.
All commercial vessels are required to establish safe ship management procedures which focuses on passenger and crew safety.
A safe ship management system would consist of details as to how a vessel would operate on a day to day basis, what are the procedures to be followed in case of an emergency and how drills and trainings are conducted.
In a notice issued yesterday, the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji says it will only allow the local inter island shipping company to continue with its services as and when it complies with the Maritime (Safe Ships Management) Regulation 2014.
MSAF has asked members of the public as well as cargo shippers to make travel arrangements with Patterson Brothers Limited and Interlink Shipping Limited.
Goundar Shipping Limited operates twice a week to Savusavu and Taveuni and a weekly service to Kadavu.
It also operates a weekly service to Koro, Gau, Vanuabalavu and Cicia in Lau as well as Rotuma and Yasayasa Moala on a monthly basis.
The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji says the MV Queen of Melbourne will be serving Kadavu twice a week from Tuesday.
It says the ship will depart Narain Jetty for Kadavu on Tuesday and Friday this week
10 shipping companies have successfully drafted their own standard operating procedures using the safe ships management system as a guideline.
They are Patterson Brothers Shipping Limited, Victoria Marine Limited, Valesasa Shipping Company, Government Shipping Services, Naos Shipping Limited, South Sea Cruises, Captain Cook Cruises, IME Capital, Leeward Operations and Amex Engineering Limited.
The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji says these companies have shown suitable level of compliance and will be issued interim document of compliance and interim safe ship management certificates upon payment of the two certificates.
MSAF Acting CEO Captain Philip Hill says upon issue of interim certificates, the ship and its respective operator will be given a further three months to implement the safe ships management system on board, complete its pending documents and prepare for an implementation audit.
He says shipping companies that do not comply with the Safe Ships Management System will be issued with a detention notice from tomorrow.
The detention notice will not allow the non-compliant ship to operate until MSAF is satisfied that the ship has complied with the law.
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