A captain and Chief Officer was fined for false information on a ship docked at Tauranga Port, reports Stuff.
What happened?
The Emile Bulker was docked at the Port of Tauranga when a workplace incident left a crewman unconscious and needing rescue.
A Captain and Chief Officer have been fined $17,550 for providing false information during an investigation into how a crewman was knocked unconscious due to lack of oxygen.
Unconscious Crewman Rescued & Hospitalised
The Isle of Man bulk carrier, Emile Bulker, was docked at the Port of Tauranga on September 6 when a crewman was sent into a hold containing palm kernel, which is known to deplete oxygen in the air.
The crewman fell unconscious and had to be rescued by Fire and Emergency NZ.
He was transported to Tauranga Hospital where he was placed in a coma until his discharge on September 10.
Charged With False Information, Captain Pleads Guilty
Maritime NZ charged Captian Walter Damian and Chief Officer Ian Dalingding with giving false information by saying gas tests of the cargo-hold had been completed when that was not the case.
On Thursday the pair pleaded guilty in the Wellington District Court to providing false information to Maritime NZ with Damian fined $13,500 and Dalingding fined $4,050.
Walter also pleaded guilty to one charge of permitting dangerous activity.
Reparations of $10,000 for the injured man were awarded for emotional harm.
International Risk Requires SMS
Oxygen depletion and gas build up in ships’ holds is an internationally known risk and a major concern for Maritime NZ.
“International law requires operators to have a Safety Management System (SMS) for a ship which sets out safety procedures to ensure that entry into enclosed spaces like cargo holds is properly evaluated for risk and that those risks are effectively managed,” Maritime NZ’s central region compliance Manager, Michael-Paul Abbott, said.
“People’s safety is our primary concern. As well as taking the prosecution, we have shared information about the incident and this ship with other Asia-Pacific countries’ maritime authorities, and reported it to the Isle of Man registry.”
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Source: Stuff
