12.9 C
Hamburg
Saturday, June 7, 2025
Home Out of the Box South Korean seafarers fined for steering ship through Great Barrier Reef

South Korean seafarers fined for steering ship through Great Barrier Reef

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





Latest Posts

Port of Long Beach appoints new managing director of engineering services

The Port of Long Beach has appointed Suzanne Plezia, P.E., as its new Managing Director of Engineering Services, succeeding Sean Gamette, P.E., who announced...

DP World and J.P. Morgan launch partnership

DP World Trade Finance has joined forces with J.P. Morgan to enhance access to working capital across emerging markets, addressing the persistent global trade...

Red Sea shipping traffic rebounds as Houthis limit targets

Red Sea maritime traffic has increased by 60% to approximately 36–37 vessels per day since August 2024, as Reuters reported. However, it still falls short...

CMA CGM applies new surcharge from Far East to West Africa

French ocean carrier CMA CGM has announced a peak season surcharge (PSS) for shipments from Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, China and Hong Kong &...

China to counterbalance Panama setback through South America projects

As geopolitical tensions deepen and shipping lanes become politicized battlegrounds, China is recalibrating its approach to the Western Hemisphere. The recent retreat of CK Hutchison...
error: Content is protected !!