Former CEO of New Zealand's Port of Auckland fined for fatal lashing mishap

A court in New Zealand has ordered the former chief executive of local port operating company Port of Auckland (POAL) to pay fines and other costs totalling NZ$190,000 (US$109,000) in connection with a lashing incident that led to the death of a stevedore in 2020.

The Auckland District Court had earlier found former POAL CEO Tony Gibson guilty of breaches of health and safety standards, which investigators claim resulted in the lashing accident that killed stevedore Pala’amo Kalati at Auckland's Fergusson Container Terminal on August 30, 2020.

At around 02:00 local time on the said date, a cargo container that was being unloaded from a visiting vessel fell onto Kalati, killing him instantly.

Prosecutors and Maritime New Zealand officials said that Gibson had failed to implement the necessary measures at the port despite being fully aware of a number of safety issues.

However, Gibson's defence team had insisted that he was not full aware of any safety breaches during his time as CEO.

Judge Steve Bonnar KC, who presided over the case, said the defendant had not demonstrated any recklessness, though his actions were still indicative of failure to uphold the safety and well-being of workers at the port.