Bulk Carrier PATAGONIA Detained After Inspection in Geraldton

The bulk carrier PATAGONIA (IMO 9591832) was detained following a Port State Control inspection conducted on 14 Feb 2026 at the port of Geraldton, Western Australia. The inspection, carried out under the Indian Ocean Memorandum of Understanding (Indian MoU) framework, identified nine deficiencies in total, one of which was classified as detainable, prompting authorities to hold the vessel in port. The PATAGONIA is a Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier managed under the International Safety Management (ISM) Code by Wallem Shipmanagement Ltd (WSM). Port State Control inspections are designed to verify that foreign-flagged vessels calling at national ports comply with international safety, security and environmental standards, including those set out under SOLAS, MARPOL and other relevant conventions. A detainable deficiency indicates a condition serious enough to pose a risk to the vessel, its crew, or the environment, requiring rectification before the ship is permitted to resume operations. Details regarding the specific nature of the detainable deficiency have not been disclosed. The vessel will remain under detention in Geraldton until the identified issues are resolved and verified by Indian MoU inspectors, after which clearance to depart may be granted. No further information on the expected duration of the detention or subsequent inspection outcomes has been made available.