The master of a handysize bulker has been fined by a court in New Zealand for unsafe working practices.
Jianxi Chen, captain of the 31,657-dwt Spinnaker SW (built 2012), received a fine of $6,000 ($4,071) in the District Court at Timaru.
He had been charged with permitting dangerous activity involving ships or maritime products under section 65(2) of the Maritime Transport Act 1994.
Chen is said to have permitted crew to load a cargo of logs onto the Spinnaker SW, without the use of personal protective equipment or systems to prevent falls from height, which caused unnecessary danger or risk to persons working on the ship, said New Zealand maritime regulator Maritime NZ.
Maritime NZ acting regional compliance manager (Southern) Domonic Venz said: “We are pleased with today’s outcome in court, our role is to ensure that all maritime activities are carried out safely.”
Maritime NZ detained the Panama-flagged bulk carrier on 25 March 2019, at the port of Bluff, which is on the southern coast of the South Island of New Zealand.
