The Ebru: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

On February 8, 2012, at Southampton Magistrates Court, the owners of the vessel 'Katja' acknowledged their guilt regarding the overloading of their ship. The 'Katja,' loaded with rock salt sourced from the St. Lawrence Seaway in Canada, arrived in Liverpool in November 2010. Having left Goderich, the vessel reached the Manchester Ship Canal on November 23, 2010. Observers noted that as the ship navigated the River Mersey, both the Plimsoll Line and load lines were obscured, suggesting it was riding unusually low in the water. Upon arrival at the Queen Elizabeth II Dock, an inspection conducted by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's (MCA) Port State Control Officers revealed that the vessel's load line was submerged by an alarming 39.5 centimeters. Katja Schiffahrtsges Gmbh, the German-based owner of the 'Katja,' was subsequently fined £28,015, in addition to costs amounting to £5,000 awarded to the MCA. In their closing remarks, the Magistrates expressed their alignment with the MCA's concerns over the gravity of the incident but acknowledged that the overloading was not done for profit. Taking into account the owners' early admission of guilt, they reduced the initial fine of £42,000 accordingly.