Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Fine for Cargo Ship Captain Over Near-Miss With Passenger Ferry in Belfast Lough

29th August 2021
File image of Stena Edda in Liverpool
File image of Stena Edda in Liverpool Credit: Phil Nash/Wikimedia

A cargo vessel skipper who nearly caused a collision with a Stena Line passenger ferry in Belfast Lough has been fined more than £6,000, as BBC News reports.

Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard that 64-year-old Kolapi Utime was captain of the Scot Leader when he turned the 90m vessel in front of the Stena Edda during the incident in March this year.

The cargo ship captain then requested that the ferry alter its course to port, which the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency said was “contrary to good seamanship and collision avoidance”.

BBC News has more on the story HERE.

MacDara Conroy

About The Author

MacDara Conroy

Email The Author

MacDara Conroy is a contributor covering all things on the water, from boating and wildlife to science and business

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven’t put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full–time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.

Direct Donation to Afloat button