Photo: Shutterstock/tororo reaction
The captain and chief mate of a bulk carrier have been fined after pleading guilty to steering the ship through a protected area of the Great Barrier Reef.
The incident took place in March involving 289-meter MV Sea Coen, which is registered in the Marshall Islands, and caused no environmental damage. The Master and First Officer of the vessel admitted to exiting the designated shipping area within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Their guilty plea was enter at Magistrates Court in Townsville, Queensland on June 21.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority CEO Josh Thomas said the outcome was a good example of enforcing compliance in the Marine Park, and demonstrated strong collaboration between management agencies. In this case, the Reef Authority was notified about this incident through the Reef Vessel Tracking Services operated by Maritime Safety Queensland.
The Master and First Officer, both South Korean nationals, have been sentenced to pay AUD$40,000 and $35,000, respectively.
“Having access to technology such as vessel tracking services, ensures we can act swiftly to prevent serious incidents from damaging the Marine Park,” said Thomas. “The Reef Authority places a very high priority on investigating breaches of laws that are designed to reduce the risk to the Reef from ships navigating within this World Heritage Area.”
“Major shipping incidents can have catastrophic consequences for the environmental, cultural and economic values of the Great Barrier Reef, and vessel operators who flout the laws will be held to account,” Thomas added.
The Reef Vessel Tracking Services uses a multi-million dollar system launched in 2019 to monitor shipping in the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait.
In 2010, the coal-carrying Shen Neng 1 infamously strayed from shipping lanes and ran aground on Douglas Shoal, part of the Great Barrier Reef. The grounding ruptured the ship’s fuel tanks, causing the release of about four metric tons fuel oil into the surrounding waters and significantly damaged the reef. The wreck was eventually towed away following a two-month salvage operation.
The ship’s Chinese owner was sentenced to pay nearly $40 million over the accident. It’s captain and chief mate were also found criminally liable.
Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.
Join the 105,931 members that receive our newsletter.
Have a news tip? Let us know.
The Port of Los Angeles reported a 19% increase in container units handled in March, marking the eighth consecutive month of year-over-year growth. The port processed 743,417 TEUs in March,...
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced the availability of $316 million to support and modernize passenger ferry services across the country. The funding, part of...
Global shipping giant Maersk has released a detailed update on its operations following the collapse of Baltimore’s Key Bridge. The company, which chartered the MV Dali, has now confirmed that...
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
Sign Up
Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 105,931 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
