6 January, 2009

THE NORWEGIAN owners of the Bourbon Dolphin, the anchor handling tug which sank off Shetland in April 2007, has been fined 5 million krone, almost £500,000.

Norway’s national prosecutor issued the fine, saying Bourbon Offshore Norway did not give the skipper enough time to learn about the ship and the crew during a 90 minute handover in Shetland.

On 12 April the tug capsized 80 miles west of Shetland during an anchor handling operation at the Rosebank/Lochnagar oil and gas field.

Eight crewmen, including the skipper’s 14 year old son, were lost.

The company has been told it can appeal the court’s decision, but has yet to comment on the fine.