Maritime Union allegations “completely without foundation”

Media Release
8 March 2012

Maritime Union allegations “completely without foundation”: Maersk Line NZ

Allegations Maersk vessels had turned off navigational equipment in order to prevent detection in New Zealand waters are completely without foundation, says the company’s New Zealand Managing Director, Julian Bevis.

Mr Bevis said Maritime New Zealand had contacted the company last week to follow up on an anonymous complaint that the Automatic Identification Systems on the Maersk Aberdeen and the Irenes Remedy were either not functioning correctly or had been turned off.

The company had received confirmation from the Masters of both vessels that the AIS systems were fully functional, and this had been confirmed by testing carried out by Maritime New Zealand.

Mr Bevis said any suggestion the company would deliberately compromise the safety of its ships and crew was completely at odds with Maersk’s business practices.

“The wellbeing of our crews is of paramount importance. Our record shows that, and I completely reject any inference we would condone any action that put their safety at risk.”

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