KMAX LEADER

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

AMSA secured legal victory

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has secured a legal victory after the Gladstone Magistrates Court fined the Universal Shipping Alliance Ltd. AUD with $63,000 for failing to comply with a safety order after the 'KMAX LeaderÄ' had entered the Port of Gladstone in Oct 2023, reporting engine room vibrations. Despite initial claims that repairs would take eight to ten days, the propulsion issues remained unresolved following extensive work in Nov 2023. The AMSA issued a written order requiring a towage and fault rectification plan, citing concerns about the approaching cyclone season and the risks posed by a disabled vessel near the Great Barrier Reef. However, both the vessel’s captain and its Australian agent failed to respond to repeated requests. The vessel was eventually towed from Australian waters in Feb 2024 and received a six-month ban from Australian ports.

Disabled bulk carrier banned from Australia

The 'KMax Leader', which had stuck for months in Gladstone, has been towed out to sea on Feb 4, 2024, at 2.45 a.m. and banned from Australia. It had arrived at Gladstone Port on Oct 27, 2023 and was due to carry a cargo of coal to South East Asia. But mechanical problems forced it to stay in the port, while repairs stalled for nearly four months. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) on Feb 22 banned the ship from entering any Australian port for 12 months. The vessel posed a significant safety risk, particularly during cyclone season. While docked in port, two cyclones crossed the Queensland coast. Several notices had been issued to the ship's Greek owner over the past five months over its failure to resolve problems and comply with international standards. They initially told that the repair would take eight to ten days, it took much longer than that.