A Vessel That Australia Banned Catches Fire and Sinks Off Java

An Indonesian freighter with a past history of port state bans has caught fire and sunk in the Java Sea, according to Indonesia's sea transport directorate. 

At about 1400 hours local time, the freighter Noah Satu (IMO 9313620) reported an engine room fire as it transited off the coast of Tuban, East Java. The vessel was under way with a cargo of corn, headed westbound for the port of Ciwandan, on the other end of the island. 

The nearby coast guard station in Tanjung Perak launched a response, dispatching a patrol ship to meet up with the Noah Satu. The local port authority also sent a response team aboard a commercial tug, the Mitra Anugerah 27. 

Over the course of an eight-hour response, the coast guard response boat rescued the captain and chief engineer, and the tug brought 12 crewmembers aboard for evacuation. One oiler sustained minor burns in the fire and was taken to Tuban for medical treatment. 

"We are committed to ensuring shipping safety and security and handling this incident quickly and effectively. We also appreciate the efforts and coordination of various parties in dealing with this incident," said Jon Kenedi, Director of the Maritime and Coast Guard Unit (KPLP).

No pollution was reported, but the Noah Satu sank with her cargo. 

The 20-year-old vessel had a checkered maintenance history, including a long list of past inspection deficiencies. Australian officials identified a heightened safety risk aboard Noah Satu and banned the ship in 2016. After the vessel failed two port state control inspections in the span of a year, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority prohibited Noah Satu for returning for at least 12 months. The vessel was never inspected by a foreign port state control team again, and AIS data shows that it has only traded within Indonesia since at least 2020.