CORNISH FERRY COMPANY AND SKIPPER FINED OVER SAFETY BREACHES

A ferry company and a skipper have today been ordered to pay a total of £12,030 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to several breaches of maritime safety legislation at Truro Magistrates Court.

The Falmouth Marine Office of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) received a complaint from a member of the public claiming that the Flushing Ferry MIRANDA had been carrying more passengers than permitted on the 30 April 2011. Upon arriving at the Prince of Wales jetty, Falmouth, footage was recorded on a mobile phone of a passenger vessel discharging 28 passengers and crewed alone by Gareth Hudson. No mooring lines could be seen securing the vessel to the shore. An investigation by the Enforcement Unit of the MCA determined that the passenger total onboard was within the numbers permitted on the MIRANDA's Passenger Certificate. However it did highlight other problems. 39-year-old Hudson from Perranarworthal, did not hold the appropriate qualification, a Boat Master License (BML), and was alone. The terms of the Passenger Certificate required two suitably qualified crew onboard. The video also showed that the MIRANDA was not secured to the jetty while the passengers disembarked.

On the 10 August 2011, Falmouth Marine Office received two separate complaints from members of the public claiming that the MIRANDA was again overloaded with passengers with Mr Hudson acting as sole crew. Subsequent investigations showed that the numbers onboard were within the terms of the vessels Passenger Certificate, but again Mr Hudson was the skipper acting as sole crew on the MIRANDA and that he had not gained the required qualification, i.e. BML. The vessel was also seen tying up with a single mooring.

The company Flushing Ferry Ltd had pleaded guilty to two charges of employing an unqualified skipper under Merchant Shipping safety legislation. They were fined £2,500 and ordered to pay costs totalling £3,015.

Gareth Hudson had pleaded guilty to a total of six charges covering sailing as skipper while unqualified, sailing without sufficient crew and conduct endangering ships and person. He was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay costs totalling £3,515.

Mr Tony Heslop, the MCA's Area Operations Manager (S&I) South West Area said:

"It is essential that a vessel is properly secured alongside so that passengers can safely get off and on. Properly qualified crew in the correct numbers is also essential to ensure the safety of the travelling public."

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