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Ship returns to New Zealand after being ordered to clean up

Xinhua, March 29, 2017 Adjust font size:

A Panama-flagged bulk carrier that became the first foreign ship ordered to leave New Zealand waters because it was dirty has returned after being cleaned, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) said Wednesday.

The DL Marigold was ordered on March 6 to leave the eastern North Island port of Tauranga within 24 hours after the discovery of dense fouling of barnacles and tube worms on its hull.

The vessel returned to Tauranga Tuesday evening to finish unloading a shipment of palm kernel after using divers to undertake cleaning at sea outside New Zealand waters.

"We checked photos taken after the cleaning operation. These were provided to MPI prior to the vessel's arrival. We are now satisfied the ship is very clean and meets New Zealand's biosecurity requirements," MPI border clearance services capability manager Sharon Tohovaka said in a statement.

"The move to ban the vessel until it could be cleaned shows New Zealand's strict biosecurity system in action," she said

MPI officials were prepared to take a hard line on vessels with severe biofouling in the lead-up to the introduction of new biosecurity rules in May 2018, said Tohovaka.

"The new rules will require all international vessels to arrive in New Zealand with a clean hull. Most vessels can achieve this by following International Maritime Organisation biofouling guidelines."

The DL Marigold had arrived from Indonesia on March 4 and had been due to stay in New Zealand waters for nine days. Endit