Steaming gallantly into Hobart, TAS this morning, as can be seen in the photo, are two of the SSCS Group vessels, MS Steve Irwin and MS Bob Barker. Alongside the starboard side of the MS Bob Barker is the Hobart Pilot cutter boarding the Pilot to guide them into assigned berths. As usual on arrival of SSCS vessels the crews were retained on board while the Australian Federal Police (AFP) boarded and conducted an Examination of both vessels logbooks, records and personnel. Since this Examination is ongoing there has been no information release by the AFP as of yet. Of course no arrival can go on without a 'Presser' (ghastly word) which NAUTICAL LOG understands is the latest media expression adding to the destruction of the English language. An Australian Greens Party person and the SSCS will have a news conference at 1100 AEST - no doubt this will rehash the same SSCS line once-over again. Operation No Compromise is now officially over - whatever that means!
Missing from all this excitement is the Australian Flag State vessel MS Gojira. She is thousands of nautical miles away, as was mentioned yesterday, enjoying the famous hospitality of French Polynesia being currently berthed in Tahiti. One wonders why did the SSCS order the MS Gojira not to proceed with the other two vessels to Hobart. Perhaps they had a 'heads-up' that their would be problems because of the involvement of the vessel in aggressive actions against the JWF. As an Australian Flag State vessel her status is quite different in Australia from the other two vessels which are Netherlands Flag State and Australia is just their temporary Port State. It is the opinion of NAUTICAL LOG that the MS Gojira will change her Flag State to French Polynesia with a Port of Registry in Tahiti, this will no doubt be done as soon as possible.
Missing from all this excitement is the Australian Flag State vessel MS Gojira. She is thousands of nautical miles away, as was mentioned yesterday, enjoying the famous hospitality of French Polynesia being currently berthed in Tahiti. One wonders why did the SSCS order the MS Gojira not to proceed with the other two vessels to Hobart. Perhaps they had a 'heads-up' that their would be problems because of the involvement of the vessel in aggressive actions against the JWF. As an Australian Flag State vessel her status is quite different in Australia from the other two vessels which are Netherlands Flag State and Australia is just their temporary Port State. It is the opinion of NAUTICAL LOG that the MS Gojira will change her Flag State to French Polynesia with a Port of Registry in Tahiti, this will no doubt be done as soon as possible.
Good Watch.
3 comments:
Odd that the ship that some would say is most responsible for the success of "Operation No Compromise" would be absent from the homecoming celebration. Gojira found the Korean tanker sent to refuel the fleet and 'ordered' her out of the area. Gojira orchestrated the attack and successful propfouling of the YM 3 that left her disabled for several days. Gojira crew tossed burning signal flares onto the deck of the NM. It seems it was Gojira, more than any other SSCS vessel that caused the whalers such concern over their safety that they cut the season short by a month. Yet Australian registered Gojira was denied her homecoming and sent with her captain and crew to Tahiti. Hmmmm. Because of the actions of her captain and crew, did Gojira stand the most to lose with an investigation by AFP? Perhaps it's not so odd after all that Gojira is absent from the homecoming in Hobart.
The Captain of the Gojira is flying back to Hobart. We will see if the AFP detain and question him
And then there is this to consider. Gojira's provisional registry would have expired on the return to Hobart if they'd joined the rest of the pirate group fleet. The provisional registry is meant to provide a navigational certificate for vessels that must leave an Australian port before registry applications are completed. One must first make an application for registry before PRC is granted. It expires in 6 months or upon return to an Australian port. From AMSA on provisional registry:
Provisional registration is meant to be a temporary navigation document and provisional registration is granted to:
"• an unregistered ship that is to depart from an Australian port to a place outside Australia."
"Validity
A PRC is valid for 6 months from the date of issue or until the ship arrives in an Australian port, whichever is the sooner."
http://www.amsa.gov.au/Shipping_Registration/Guides/Provisional_Registration_Certificates.asp
So the plot thickens a little bit. Staying out of Hobart for the homecoming not only avoids the AFP search, but also allows Gojira to retain Australian registry a bit longer.
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