The captain of a Russian oil tanker which was detained in the UK last year over safety concerns has avoided the ship being seized.
Vitaliy Trofimov, captain of the Tecoil Polaris vessel has paid up more than £25,000 in fines, first issued in June by Hull Magistrates Court.
A catalogue of “extremely serious” safety failures including incorrect navigation charts and defective lifesaving equipment were found on the tanker when it arrived at Humber Point in June last year.
The prosecution was brought by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency for breaches in the International Safety Management (ISM) code.
The court ordered the fines were paid within 56 days and a follow-up hearing about non-payment was due yesterday.
However, as of 3.30pm on Wednesday, all fines and costs were paid in full, avoiding the permanent seizure of the Tecoil Polaris to settle the debt.
Captain Andrew Phillips, enforcement officer with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: ‘This sends out a clear message: if you don’t pay your fines and costs, we will come after you and we will – if we have to – use the law to seize your vessel or other assets to cover it.”