Earlier this month, the skipper and owners of the Belgium trawler ‘De Zwerver’ were prosecuted at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court after narrowly avoiding a collision with a cross-channel ferry.

BVBA Deo Volante, the De Zwerver’s owners, were fined £1,500 with costs of £3,733 after pleading guilty to breaching Rule 10(d) of the International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea. The trawler’s skipper, Brian Witdoeckt, pleaded guilty to the same offence and was fined £400 with costs of £600.

The incident occurred on the 22nd March 2009 after the De Zwerver was returning to Belgium from Milford Haven. The vessel was identified by the Dover Channel Navigation Service (CNIS) after it entered the English Inshore Traffic Zone off Brighton.

Despite repeated attempts to contact the De Zwerver by radio, no communication was established as the trawler continued to make its way home. Nearing the Port of Dover, the trawler experienced a near miss with a cross-Channel ferry, which was reported to the CNIS.

CNIS Manager, Kaimes Beasley, said: “The vessel should have been using the North East bound traffic lanes off the French Coast to transit through the Dover Strait. By failing to do so he placed himself, his vessel and crew and other users of the Traffic Separation Scheme at risk”.

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