Two crew members on a Capesize bulk carrier operated by South Korea’s SW Shipping have been fined for steering the ship through restricted waters around the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
The ship, 176300 dwt Sea Coen, had sailed through the no-navigation zone through Palm Passage off Townsville, after loading coal in March. The breach was detected by a 24-hour monitoring service around the reef.
Investigations showed that the ship had deviated from its original route, and the master and the first officer, both South Koreans, were detained. They were freed on bail of A$45,000 (US$31,000) each. The master and first officer were fined A$40,000 (US$28,000) and A$35,000 (US$24,000) respectively and the sums will be deducted from the bail amount.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority CEO Josh Thomas said, “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. Having access to technology such as vessel tracking services, ensures we can act swiftly to prevent serious incidents from damaging the Marine Park.”
SW Shipping had announced plans to enter the container segment this year, but the company has not acquired any boxships yet.
The most serious accident around the Great Barrier Reef happened on 3 April 2010, when the Chinese bulk carrier Shen Neng 1 ran aground on the reef, leaving substantial areas of loose coral rubble and toxic paint on the reef. Eventually, in September 2016, after a long drawn-out legal battle, the ship owner, Shenzhen Energy Transport, agreed to pay compensation of around US$30 million to the Australian government.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
