Containership Detained in Tacoma for Safety Violations
The 685-foot Liberian-flagged containership Westwood Robson is being held in port after significant safety violations were discovered by Port State Control officers from U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound during an inspection at the Husky Terminal in the Port of Tacoma, Thursday.
The inspection revealed excessive oil in the bilge holding area, oil-soaked lagging present throughout machinery spaces and clogged oil drains, creating a significant risk of fire, the Coast Guard said. Mechanical issues included deteriorated fittings that contributed to oil and coolant leaks as well as inoperable oil purifiers.
The vessel and crew must are required to stay in port until the deficiencies have been corrected to the satisfaction of Coast Guard inspectors and the Classification Society.
“We are continuing to monitor the Westwood Robson after discovering safety violations, and working with the crew and appropriate authorities to ensure that the issues found are corrected before the ship resumes operations,” said Capt. Thomas Griffitts, deputy commander of Sector Puget Sound.
