The Hague maritime disciplinary court has ruled against the captain of the vessel Alaskaborg, a Dutch General Cargo Vessel, for failing to act as a good seaman and act responsibly in relation to the environment.
The ship was sailing south of Newfoundland when the bilge alarm went off, causing the ship to roll and pitch. The captain consulted chief members of crew and concluded that the alarm was caused by melting snow or water ingress. He agreed to keep the bilge ejector running until the next morning or until the weather improved.
The next morning, a crew member discovered a hole in the fuel tank, leaking VLSFO (Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil), which mixed with the cargo and ran into the bilge well portside fore.
The inspector’s objections include the captain not considering any other possible cause of the alarm, leaving the bilge ejector running without knowing what was being pumped overboard, and causing oil to end up in the Atlantic Ocean.
The captain was convicted of violating Section 55a of the Dutch Seafarers Act and Section 4.4 of the Act, which requires a good seaman to act responsibly in relation to the environment.
The Disciplinary Court ordered the captain to pay a fine of €2,000, with a portion of the fine imposed if the court decides otherwise. The captain was also ordered to pay a probationary period of six weeks, with the unconditional part of the fine due within three months.
