Ship’s master fined for alcohol consumption in Whangarei

New Zealand’s Whangarei District Court has fined Anthony Michael Baker (53) NZ$3,000 for exceeding the alcohol limit for a seafarer.

Mr Baker is master of the multi-purpose cargo carrier Shansi, and is from Devon in the United Kingdom. The Maritime Transport Act limit is 250 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath, and Mr Baker blew a test of 1,345 micrograms.

On Friday morning (August 4) senior pilot, Kirit Barot, and trainee pilot, Richard Oliver, boarded Shansi to help her enter Whangarei Harbour and berth at North Port. They were concerned the master smelled of alcohol and about his behaviour, so they contacted the ship’s agent, the harbour master, and Maritime New Zealand.

A maritime officer boarded Shansi with a police officer who could, if required, take an alcohol breath test. Mr Baker blew an exceptionally high alcohol reading, was arrested, placed in police custody, and charged by police.