Jian Seng
Encyclopedia
The Jian Seng was an 80-metre tanker
of unknown origin that was spotted drifting 180 km south-west of Weipa
, Queensland
in the Gulf of Carpentaria
by an Australian Coastwatch
aeroplane in 2006. Photographs were taken and analysed at the Australian Customs Service
, which dispatched the Australian Customs vessel Storm Bay immediately.
The Storm Bay arrived during the night and waited until morning before launching a tender to board the vessel, which was drifting in uncharted waters. There was no sign of recent human activity found aboard, nor any signs that it had been engaged in illegal fishing
or people smuggling
. A spokesman for Australian Customs addressed the media on 24 March 2006, stating that they had been unable to obtain documentary evidence of its registration or origin port at this stage, but materials recovered indicated the vessel was the Jian Seng, though the name and identifying features had been painted over.
A large quantity of rice was found on board, leading the boarding party to believe the vessel was probably used as a resupply ship for fishing boats with food and fuel in waters outside the Australian exclusive economic zone which had broken tow and drifted to its current position. The boarding party asserted that it had been adrift for an exceptionally long time before being found, and that the engines were inoperable and incapable of being restarted. The boarding party also reported that it was drifting slowly southwards. The ship had been extensively stripped, suggesting that it may have been on its way to a scrapyard when its towline broke.
The patrol boat Storm Bay monitored the ship for several days before a decision was made to tow it to the nearest harbor. A salvage tug
towed the ship to Weipa, on Cape York
, where oily water which posed an environmental hazard was removed. Since no owner of the ship could ever be located, it was towed to deep water on 21 April 2006 and scuttled.
, Minister for Justice and Customs, claimed that the detection of this vessel illustrates the effectiveness of response in detection of ships breaching Australian borders, alleging it was detected in a remote stretch of Australian waters and photographed by a Customs airplane, which returned to base with the photos whilst a vessel was immediately dispatched. This was debated by Senator Joseph William Ludwig
, claiming that the fact it was not intercepted earlier is an extraordinary feat when one considers how far south it had entered into the gulf. The area in which it was found is notorious for illegal Indonesia
n fishing vessels and for people or drug smuggling operations. Senator Ludwig alleged that Australian Customs had claimed this was a region they had specifically been targeting, and then asked how they can hope to intercept illegal fishing boats when a massive tanker was objectively missed for such a potentially long period of time.
Tanker (ship)
A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...
of unknown origin that was spotted drifting 180 km south-west of Weipa
Weipa, Queensland
Weipa is the largest town on the Gulf of Carpentaria coast of the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Weipa had a population of 2,830; the largest community on Cape York Peninsula. It exists because of the enormous bauxite deposits along the coast...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
in the Gulf of Carpentaria
Gulf of Carpentaria
The Gulf of Carpentaria is a large, shallow sea enclosed on three sides by northern Australia and bounded on the north by the Arafura Sea...
by an Australian Coastwatch
Australian Coastwatch
Coastwatch was a Division of the Australian Customs Service, which is an agency of the Australian Federal Government, with its headquarters based in Canberra, Australia...
aeroplane in 2006. Photographs were taken and analysed at the Australian Customs Service
Australian Customs Service
The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service is the Australian Federal Government agency responsible for managing the security and integrity of the Australian border, facilitating the movement of legitimate international travellers and goods, and collecting border-related duties and...
, which dispatched the Australian Customs vessel Storm Bay immediately.
The Storm Bay arrived during the night and waited until morning before launching a tender to board the vessel, which was drifting in uncharted waters. There was no sign of recent human activity found aboard, nor any signs that it had been engaged in illegal fishing
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
or people smuggling
People smuggling
People smuggling is defined as "the facilitation, transportation, attempted transportation or illegal entry of a person or persons across an international border, in violation of one or more countries laws, either clandestinely or through deception, such as the use of fraudulent documents"...
. A spokesman for Australian Customs addressed the media on 24 March 2006, stating that they had been unable to obtain documentary evidence of its registration or origin port at this stage, but materials recovered indicated the vessel was the Jian Seng, though the name and identifying features had been painted over.
A large quantity of rice was found on board, leading the boarding party to believe the vessel was probably used as a resupply ship for fishing boats with food and fuel in waters outside the Australian exclusive economic zone which had broken tow and drifted to its current position. The boarding party asserted that it had been adrift for an exceptionally long time before being found, and that the engines were inoperable and incapable of being restarted. The boarding party also reported that it was drifting slowly southwards. The ship had been extensively stripped, suggesting that it may have been on its way to a scrapyard when its towline broke.
The patrol boat Storm Bay monitored the ship for several days before a decision was made to tow it to the nearest harbor. A salvage tug
Salvage tug
A salvage tug is a specialized type of tugboat which is used to rescue or marine salvage ships which are in distress or in danger of sinking, or which have already sunk or run aground....
towed the ship to Weipa, on Cape York
Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland at the tip of the state of Queensland, Australia, the largest unspoilt wilderness in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth...
, where oily water which posed an environmental hazard was removed. Since no owner of the ship could ever be located, it was towed to deep water on 21 April 2006 and scuttled.
Political implications
Chris EllisonChris Ellison
Christopher Martin Ellison , is a former Liberal member of the Australian Senate. He represented Western Australia in the Senate from July 1993 to January 2009.-Background:...
, Minister for Justice and Customs, claimed that the detection of this vessel illustrates the effectiveness of response in detection of ships breaching Australian borders, alleging it was detected in a remote stretch of Australian waters and photographed by a Customs airplane, which returned to base with the photos whilst a vessel was immediately dispatched. This was debated by Senator Joseph William Ludwig
Joe Ludwig
Senator the Hon Joseph William Ludwig , Australian politician, has been a member of the Australian Senate for the state of Queensland since July 1999, representing the Australian Labor Party.-Biography:...
, claiming that the fact it was not intercepted earlier is an extraordinary feat when one considers how far south it had entered into the gulf. The area in which it was found is notorious for illegal Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n fishing vessels and for people or drug smuggling operations. Senator Ludwig alleged that Australian Customs had claimed this was a region they had specifically been targeting, and then asked how they can hope to intercept illegal fishing boats when a massive tanker was objectively missed for such a potentially long period of time.