Last month, the DL Marigold arrived in Tauranga, New Zealand. The ship coming from Indonesia had an unpleasant welcome due to a lack of hull cleaning. For the first time, an international ship has been ordered to leave a New Zealand port because of biofouling. Now new rules will apply for international vessels planning to call New Zealand ports, starting from May next year, where is cleared stated they have to have a clean hull.

According to the maritime-executive, and in words of the biofouling consultant and principle at Intermarine Consulting, Dr Rob Hilliard, “Offshore locations are not ideal… Presumably it was considered the best option in this case by DL Marigold‘s operators given its cargo constraints and distance to alternative ports where the fouling poses a lower, acceptable biosecurity threat.”

The DL Marigold arrived on March 4 to unload palm kernel, and was supposed to stay nine days in New Zealand waters. On being ordered to leave, the DL Marigold sailed to Fiji for hull cleaning and found another unpleasant surprise. The Biosecurity Authority of Fiji released a statement saying it would also deny entry to the DL Marigold, as the ship could introduce invasive species into its waters.

New Zealand authorities ordered the Panama-registered DL Marigold to leave after its divers discovered dense fouling of barnacles and tube worms on the ship’s hull.

Overall, if you thought hull cleaning wasn’t that important, now you know what can be the consequences if you don’t take care about it. At Panama Ship Service you my find every single service that your vessel/yacht/boat may need, whether it is hull cleaning, underwater inspections, ship repairs, rudder and propeller, polishing, cutting and welding or any other service related to the shipping industry, you only have to let us know and we’ll contact you as soon as possible.