According to the US Coast Guard (USCG) the 156,700-dwt Everbright (built 2010) was held on the heels of an inspection that found infractions related to the vessel’s oily water separator.

“The crew could not conduct a satisfactory operational equipment test of the oily water separator (OWS),” the agency wrote in a report detailing the deficiencies that led to the detention, adding:

“When the sample line was opened, the oil content meter rose above 15 parts per million, but the three-way valve would not actuate at any time. After several hours, the engineering crew was unable to get the OWS to operate properly.”

The USCG also pointed out that the port state control officer who oversaw the probe found “numerous inconsistencies” throughout the vessel’s oil record book, which has become an increasingly common target of inspections in recent years.

Today, SFI chief executive Ole Hjertaker told TradeWinds that the issue with the OWS stemmed from an electrical failure that “caused lockdown in line with manufacturer’s specification”.

“As a result, the crew on-board [the Everbright during the inspection in Philadelphia] were unable to demonstrate operation of the OWS, leading to detention,” he added when pressed for details about the incident.

Hjertaker noted the vessel’s flag state appealed the detention a few weeks ago was quick to point out that there was no evidence that the failure of the OWS led to the discharge of an unlawful level of oily waste at sea.

While the Everbright was held for ten days Hjertaker claims cargo operations were not disrupted by the inspection or subsequent detention. According to Equasis the vessel is flagged in the Marshall Islands and classed by Det Norske Veritas.

A copy of the US Coast Guard's most recent list of port detention can be read in full by clicking the link located under the Related Media section to the right of this article.