Crew Reviews, Ratings & Info for Coral-Knight

The patrol vessel ABFC "Roebuck Bay," weighing 134 tons, faced a challenging situation when it ran aground at Henry Reef at a speed of 16 knots in the early hours of September 30, 2017. Following the incident, the vessel was successfully refloated and taken under tow by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s emergency towing vessel, the "Coral Knight." On October 5, the Roebuck Bay was transported backwards to Cairns, reaching the port in the morning hours for essential repairs at the Portsmith dry dock. The vessel sustained significant damage, including a substantial hole in its hull measuring approximately 8x0.5 meters. The specific reasons behind the grounding incident have yet to be disclosed. Meanwhile, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) is set to investigate any potential environmental impacts on the reef resulting from this incident. For further details and images, visit the report here: http://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/8m-long-hole-ripped-into-hull-of-australian-border-force-vessel-after-running-aground-on-reef/news-story/9673e60738c31a9dcf75dfa620fc459e

On April 13, 2017, the interim judicial managers of Swissco Holdings revealed their agreement with Australian Maritime Systems Asset Holdings to sell the 'Coral Knight' for a total of US$7.2 million. This sale includes a commission of US$172,000 payable to Australian Maritime Systems, while the remaining amount of US$7.03 million will be paid in cash. The agreed price reflects the vessel's financial position, particularly its net book value of US$5.02 million as recorded on November 30, 2016, and an independent valuation dated January 23, 2017, which set its worth between US$5 million (the forced sale value) and US$10 million (the fair market value). Notably, the 'Coral Knight', constructed in 2014, is mortgaged to OCBC Bank as collateral against various banking facilities. As of now, the vessel is on bareboat charter to Australian Maritime Systems until April 29, 2017.

In a significant move on March 30, 2017, the crew members of the emergency vessel 'Coral Knight' held a community assembly at the wharves in Cairns after being dismissed from their positions. These dedicated Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) members were accompanied by a diverse group of supporters, including unionists, environmental advocates, and local community members. The dismissed seafarers voiced concerns that public safety and environmental protection were jeopardized in favor of hiring cheaper alternatives. The 'Coral Knight,' stationed in Cairns, is tasked with conducting crucial safety operations at sea. With over three years of specialized training in emergency response, the crew had only recently learned about the loss of their jobs. Just last week, they had navigated the ship south to Palm Island near Townsville to prepare for potential cyclone response related to Cyclone Debbie. The crew's jobs came under threat when the government awarded the contract to staff the 'Coral Knight' to Teekay (TK) Shipping based solely on cost reduction. This change has serious implications for the safety of the Great Barrier Reef, as TK has proposed salaries that are as much as $15,000 lower than previous compensation, reduced superannuation by 4%, and slashed leave benefits. Notably, no offers of employment were made to the existing crew by TK. Upon learning of TK's acquisition of the contract, the seasoned crew applied for their positions, but TK did not consider a single one of the experienced members for employment. Despite the new crew being qualified seafarers and MUA members, they lack familiarity with the 'Coral Knight' operations. Moreover, TK anticipated a seamless transition with zero immediate training plans or handover from the existing team, despite the union's efforts to negotiate this process. TK also delineated new pay structures that disregarded existing agreements for the vessel. The crew, along with MUA representatives, is hopeful that increased community backing will apply pressure on the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and the companies involved in the contracting process to uphold fair wages and working conditions, ensure the safety of the workers, and protect the integrity of the Reef for those who live and work in its vicinity by reinstating the previous workforce of the 'Coral Knight.'