The Captain and Chief Officer of the Isle of Man-flagged bulk carrier, Emilie Bulker, gave false information to Maritime NZ after a crewman passed out because of lack of oxygen in the ship’s poorly-ventilated hold. (Photo herewith reproduced by kind courtesy of Maritime NZ ©).
On 19 September, at Wellington District Court, Captain Walter Damian and Chief Officer Ian Dalingding pleaded guilty to providing false information to Maritime NZ. They were fined $13,500 and $ 4,050 respectively.
Captain Damian also pleaded guilty to permitting dangerous activity. A reparation payment of $10,000 for emotional harm has been awarded to the victim.
This incident occurred at the Port of Tauranga on 6 September, when the crewman was working in a hold containing palm kernel. Palm kernel is known to deplete oxygen in the air.
Fire and Emergency NZ, rescued the unconscious man from the ship’s cargo-hold. He was taken to the Tauranga Hospital and placed in an induced coma. He was discharged from hospital on 10 September.
Maritime NZ investigated, and the Captain and Chief Officer gave false information claiming that assessment and gas tests of the cargo hold had been carried out, and the hold was safe to work in. None of that was true.
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. This document sets out safety procedures to ensure that entry into enclosed spaces such as cargo holds is properly evaluated for risk and that those risks are effectively managed.
In the words of Maritime NZ’s Central Region Compliance Manager, Michael-Paul Abbott: ‘People’s safety is our primary concern. Maritime NZ takes all steps to ensure the safety of maritime operations in New Zealand, including aboard foreign ships in our waters, in accordance with international law’
‘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. This is part of an international system for monitoring ships that are involved in incidents – we help each other keep shipping safe.’
Background to Compliance
Maritime NZ’s Compliance Operating Model describes how Maritime NZ manages compliance to achieve the best outcomes in its role as guardian of the maritime environment. Prosecution is one of the compliance interventions available to Maritime NZ.
Readers may find out more about the Maritime NZ Compliance Operating Model here: https://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/about/what-we-do/compliance/compliance-model.asp
Latest News & Events
Captain Allan Gray our former President, now at the Port of Halifax, was in Rotterdam recently for the World Hydrogen Summit and the Smart Digital Ports Conference in mid-May.
While there he managed to meet IHMA Project Officer, Captain Ben van Scherpenzeel, to exchange pleasantries and to discuss the standardization of terms and so forth and other port-related matters of mutual interest.
Allan sends good wishes to all at IHMA, trusting that we are safe and well and regrets that, sadly, he will not be able to meet us at the IHMA Congress in Kuala Lumpur next month.
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Now in its second round, the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC*) was born out of the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan to tackle carbon emissions. The latest funding cements the UK’s position as world leaders in clean maritime technologies and supports the creation of thousands of skilled jobs across the UK.
The CMDC is one of the first initiatives from UK SHORE, a new unit launched to make the maritime sector greener. Dedicated to creating a world free from shipping emissions, UK SHORE will work with industry to tackle numerous shipping emission challenges.
