Fullers to pay $130,000 after ferry crash

Monday, 29 May 2017

The Kea ferry collided with Victoria Wharf in Devonport in 2015.

An Auckland ferry company has been ordered to pay $130,000 after at least 19 passengers were injured in a collision.

Injuries ranged from cuts and bruises to serious concussion after the impact between the Fullers ferry and Victoria Wharf toppled their seats in February 2015.

Fullers was charged with health and safety failures.

The company pleaded guilty, but disputed some details of the incident with Maritime NZ which resulted in a drawn out court case.

* Fullers admits health and safety breach

* Charges laid over Fullers ferry crash**

On Monday, Fullers group was ordered in the Auckland District Court to pay a $40,000 fine and reparations of $90,000.

At the time of the collision, the Kea ferry was sailing in a manual-type function because of issues with its automatic control. There was ambiguity over whether there were issues with the manual control as well.

The ferry master lost control of one of the vessel's thrusters and it hit Victoria wharf at around 13 kmph, causing passengers to fall out of their seats.

Maritime NZ Regional Compliance Manager Neil Rowarth said that unsecured seating exacerbated the harm to passengers.

'The need to have adequately secured seating was especially important because of known problems with the control system,' he said.

'Paying passengers and crew working on board should feel safe in the knowledge that procedures are in place to manage risks and a vessel is in the right condition to operate safely. This was clearly not the case in this instance.'

He said the court's ruling 'should send a strong message to industry that risks must be properly managed'.