Ship has 'serious deficiencies'

An inspection report found 14 problems with the Vega Auriga. Photo / George Novak

Watch staff having inadequate rest periods, a faulty navigation light and no common language among personnel were included in the list of problems found on board the Vega Auriga.

An inspection report supplied by Maritime New Zealand to the Bay of Plenty Times revealed a list of 14 problems on the container ship, which arrived in Tauranga on Sunday.

Deficiencies included rest periods for watchkeeping staff not conforming to minimum requirements, a lack of a common working language on board, corrosion on a life raft cradle and an oily rag bin in the engine room with no lids.

There were no local control procedures for the ship's Controllable Pitch Propeller, or CPP, which needs to be adjusted from the ship's engine room and bridge.

There was also a fault with a navigation light and evidence showing an Electronic Chart Display and Information System unit, known as an ECDIS unit, was being used for navigation purposes, which it should not be used for.

Eleven of the deficiencies must be fixed before the ship's planned departure at midday today.

Steve Rendle, senior communications and media advisor for Maritime New Zealand, said the deficiencies indicated poor management and a lack of resources.

The number of deficiencies could be considered "pretty serious", he added.

Mr Rendle said the vessel would be inspected again in the morning to ensure the deficiencies were rectified.

Mediterranean Shipping Company New Zealand operations manager Mike Hodgins said the company had hired the Vega Auriga to go through Australia, Noumea and New Zealand.

However, the recent developments meant the contract ended when the cargo was unloaded in Tauranga on Sunday.

"We've off-hired it because it couldn't do what it was supposed to do," he said. "Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has said it's not allowed back in Australia for three months at the moment which was what it was supposed to do."

Mr Hodgins said the decision to end the contract was nothing to do with the deficiencies found in Australia or New Zealand.

"It was given an all clear when it left Sydney, when it left Australia. It had been declared it was okay."

Judea's Mary Sanson volunteered to help clean the beaches after the Rena grounding.

She said she was glad the ship was being closely monitored while in Tauranga and hoped all the problems were fixed before it sailed again.

"It's better to have it where we can see what it's doing and keep an eye on it - and make sure it doesn't leak anything."

The Vega Auriga was banned from Australian ports for three months on Wednesday. It had been detained three times in Australian ports since July last year and was declared "unseaworthy and substandard".