KMAX LEADER

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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.