The captain of the AP container ship Moller-Maersk has been arrested and charged in Australia after his ship broke a submarine cable, reports TradeWinds.
The captain of the Maersk Surabaya, a container ship built in 2006, was accused of damaging the Australia Singapore Cable, a 4,600-kilometer undersea communications cable connecting Australia and Singapore. The damage was estimated at more than $1 million.
An investigation by AFP officers in Western Australia and Victoria led to the arrest of the 59-year-old Ukrainian national, AFP reported.
In early August, the vessel, anchored 500 meters from a protected zone clearly marked on nautical charts, dragged its anchor across the bottom in strong winds, snagging on a cable embedded 20 meters deep.
The captain was charged with negligent conduct as master of a vessel, in violation of the Telecommunications Act.
This offence carries a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment and a fine of 40,000 Australian dollars. The captain was released on bail and is currently in quarantine in a hotel.
According to TradeWinds, the damage to the submarine cable could have serious financial consequences for both the operator and customers.
On Thursday, August 5, repairs to the cable began. The damaged section was several kilometers long. In the end, the operation was carried out in record time, taking just 13 days.
rel: AL (based on TradeWinds)/PortalMorski.pl
