Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard Seventeenth District

Date: Aug. 25, 2008
Contact: Cmdr. Joseph Lo Sciuto
Phone: (907) 271.6605
Petty Officer Sara Francis
(907) 271.2660

Coast Guard Conducts Port State Control Exam on Clipper Pacific, Detains Vessel for Violations

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Coast Guard Inspectors at Sector Anchorage conducted a Port State Control exam on the Bahamian-flagged, cruise ship Clipper Pacific, in Seward over the weekend issuing a 32-item deficiency list and detaining the vessel temporarily for significant International Ship Management code violations in respect to oil record books, engineering logs and engineering rough logs.

The Clipper Pacific customs clearance for departure was withheld until a surety bond for $1.1 million was provided by the owner but was later cleared by U.S. Customs and Border Protection after a Letter of Understanding was received from the owner.

The inspectors found issues with the vessel's documentation and non-compliance of the International Ship Management Code for Safety of Life At Sea (SOLAS). Vessels operating in U.S. waters are required to meet the SOLAS and other International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards enforced by the U.S.

There is evidence the vessel's crew operated the oily water separator and potentially inaccurate oil content meter in the U.S. exclusive economic zone in potential violation of United States Code known as the Clean Water Act, 33USC1321 (b) (3). They also failed to report a discharge of oil into a navigable U.S. waterway while draining the bilges of their lifeboats which is another violation of the CFR, 33CFR151.15.

After four days the crew of the vessel had fixed enough of the critical deficiencies that Coast Guard officials were comfortable with the vessel leaving the U.S. port. However, concerns about the oily water discharge system and the fact that this is a foreign-flagged vessel that may not return to the U.S., prompted officials in cooperation with Customs and Border Protection to require the vessel's insurance agency, the P&I Club, to issue a the $1.1 million Surety Bond.

"The vessel has some more work to do to come into full compliance with SOLAS but we determined that it had reached an equivalent level of safety and was ready to sail prior to letting them leave the port," said Cmdr. Joseph Lo Sciuto, deputy commander Coast Guard Sector Anchorage and a qualified senior marine inspector. "In the long run, we want to make sure the vessel comes into full compliance with SOLAS and meets their international responsibilities."

The Coast Guard has required the captain of the vessel to have permanent documentation rather than interim certificates before they return to the U.S.

The Clipper Pacific had previously operated in U.S. waters under a different owner and name. Their operations in the U.S. ceased from 1996 until last month after Pearl Owner Ltd. purchased the vessel. Records show the vessel operated in the Mediterranean from 1997 to 2008.

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