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Bulkcarrier detained for safety violations

The US Coast Guard detained the "Kind Seas", after significant safety violations were found during an inspection in Kalama, Washington, ojn Apr 24, 2015. Vessel inspectors from the Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit in Portland discovered the discrepancies during a routine inspection of the vessel. Safety violations were related to a complete failure of the emergency generator, which provided 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. The deficiencies were determined to pose significant risk to the vessel’s crew and the marine environment indicating that the vessel is unfit to proceed to sea. Coast Guard vessel inspectors were working with the "Kind Seas"’ flag state Marshall Islands 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 bulk carrier had loaded corn and wheat in Kalama and will depart for Japan after the safety violations have been corrected.