US Coast Guard detains Marshal Islands-flagged vessel for safety violation
The Coast Guard detained the 738-foot motor vessel Kind Seas, after significant safety violations were found during an inspection in Kalama, Washington, Friday. Vessel inspectors from the Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit in Portland discovered the discrepancies during a routine inspection of the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel, which was built in 1998, the USCG press release said.
Safety violations were related to a complete failure of the emergency generator, which provides power to emergency equipment including the emergency firefighting pump system. Other discrepancies include deficient structural fire boundary doors designed to prevent the spread of a fire, inoperable bilge pumps critical to removing excess water and waste oil accumulation in engine compartments, and inoperable life saving communication equipment.
Coast Guard vessel inspectors are working with the Kind Seas’ flag state and Nippon Kaiji Kyokai, the vessel’s classification society responsible for certificating vessel construction and engineering, and the vessel’s crew, owner, and managing company to make essential repairs.
The Kind Seas, owned by Fairplay Maritime Ltd., is a bulk carrier, which loaded corn and wheat in Kalama and will depart for Japan after the safety violations have been corrected.
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's seven uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the U.S. military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission.