MASTER OF SHIP FINED AFTER COLLISION IN DOVER STRAITS

At a hearing today at Southampton Magistrates Court, the Master of a cargo vessel pleaded guilty to three offences brought under the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1974, as amended (Colregs), and fined £1500 plus costs of £1000.

The Spring Bok is 12,113 gross ton Refrigerated Cargo Ship (Reefer) registered in the Netherlands. On the 24 March 2012 she was on passage from Rotterdam to Aruba and was traveling in the South West lane of the Dover Straits Traffic Separation Scheme. A small liquid gas carrier was also heading south west and traveling at 7-8 knots while the Spring Bok was transiting at 18-20 knots.  At approximately 1014 utc, the Spring Bok ran into the stern of the Gas Carrier.  An investigation into the collision was started.

Captain Robert Koningstein was the Officer of the Watch of the Spring Bok. The visibility in the Dover Straits had been poor but had improved to about 2.5 miles off Dungeness. After the visibility had increased he had sent the lookout down. His son and brother-in-law were on the bridge also but not in any official capacity. Captain Koningstein admitted that he had seen the Gas Artic some 20 minutes before the collision. However he had no recollection of seeing it again until it appeared from behind the forward cranes moments before the collision. Damage on both vessels was comparatively light.

A more serious collision was avoided by the actions of the Master of the Gas carrier who saw the approaching Spring Bok and altered course immediately in order to avoid the collision.

Robert Koningstein pleaded guilty to three charges brought under the Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collision) Regulations 1996.  These were a failure to keep a good lookout, a failure to ascertain that risk of collision existed and a failure to keep clear of a vessel being overtaken.

Captain Eric Meare, Marine Surveyor at the Dover Marine Office said:

"The Dover Straits are the busiest shipping lanes in the world. It is essential to maintain a good lookout and watch at all time. Strict compliance with all of the Colregs is essential to ensuring the safety of all users of the Straits.”

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