The master and operating company of a UK-registered cargo vessel have been sentenced following a fatal crash at sea, which resulted in the deaths of two sailors off the south coast of Sweden.

The tragic incident occurred in the early hours of 13 December 2021 when the Scot Carrier collided with the Denmark-registered Karin Hoj in the Bornholmsgattet strait. The impact caused the Karin Hoj to capsize, leading to the deaths of two crew members onboard.

Sentencing at Southampton Crown Court

At Southampton Crown Court, Judge Peter Henry described the incident as “an accident waiting to happen”, highlighting failures in both vessel operation and safety management.

• Intrada Ships Management Ltd, the company operating the Scot Carrier, was fined £180,000 and ordered to pay £500,000 in costs.
• Sam Farrow, 33, the ship’s master from Tower Hamlets, London, was sentenced to eight months in jail, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay £25,000 in costs.

Fatal Failures in Safety and Navigation

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), which led the prosecution with support from Swedish and Danish authorities, found multiple failings that contributed to the tragedy.

The case against Farrow centered on his failure to take safety action despite being aware that his Second Officer was not fulfilling his duties while on watch on the Scot Carrier.

Investigations revealed that before the crash:

• The Second Officer was alone on the bridge, violating safety protocols.
• He had consumed alcohol and was chatting online on his tablet computer instead of monitoring navigation.
• Navigation alarms were turned off, meaning he was unaware that the Scot Carrier was rapidly gaining on the Karin Hoj.

Farrow pleaded guilty to failing to operate a ship in accordance with the safety management system under Regulation 7 of the Merchant Shipping (International Safety Management Code) Regulations 2014.

Operator’s Negligence Led to Catastrophic Collision

The case against Intrada Ships Management Ltd focused on long-standing safety failures.

The company had previously been made aware that officers-on-watch on some of its vessels were routinely working alone, against maritime regulations and guidance. However, it had failed to take preventative action, leading to a catastrophic failure in safety enforcement.

Following a four-week trial at Southampton Crown Court, Intrada was found guilty of failing to operate a ship safely under Section 100 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.

Judge’s Remarks

In his sentencing statement, Judge Henry emphasized:

“The failure to provide lookouts was undoubtedly the single biggest failure, but the failure to properly oversee and enforce bridge discipline among the crew introduced additional distractions from the safe operation of the vessel. These failures aligned to create a hole in the safety model, leading directly to the collision.”

MCA’s Response and Condolences

Following the hearing, Mark Flavell, senior maritime investigator at the MCA, expressed condolences to the victims’ families:

“Our thoughts remain with the loved ones of the two men who lost their lives on the Karin Hoj. This case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of failing to uphold maritime safety regulations.”

The case has reignited calls for stricter enforcement of maritime safety protocols and improved oversight in the shipping industry to prevent similar tragedies in the future.