A bulk carrier ship has been banned from docking at Australian ports after it sat stranded for months at a central Queensland terminal.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the Liberian-flagged KMAX Leader bulk carrier is being towed back to the Philippines after arriving at the Port of Gladstone in October 2023 and remaining there for five months.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said February 22 that the vessel is banned from re-entering any Australian ports for the next 12 months.

AMSA national operations manager Greg Witherall argued that the stranded ship posed a safety risk to the port, especially during cyclone season which began in November 2023 and ends May 2024.

"If it were to break its mooring lines, or if it was to drag its anchor, it does pose a risk to the environment," Witherall said. "Especially in ports like Gladstone, which are in the Great Barrier Reef."

Witherall said that multiple notices were sent to the vessel’s Greek owner over the last five months about its failure to fix mechanical issues and comply with international regulations.

"The owner failed to engage with us, which left us in the dark," he said. "[They initially] told us it would be eight to 10 days for repair [but] it took much longer than that."

The KMAX Leader is the tenth ship to be banned from Australian ports in the last 12 months.