Chinese company ordered to remove ship stricken in French Polynesia

Pape’ete: The administrative court in French Polynesia has given the owner of the Chinese fishing vessel grounded at Arutua atoll five days to start removing its cargo and fuel.

The ship Shen Gang Shun 1, which is owned by Shenzhen Shengang Overseas Industrial Company, ran aground on March 21 with 250 tonnes of fuel and about 70 tonnes of fish on board.

The court ruled that if action by the company was delayed it would be fined CFP$5000 (FJ$ 103,752 ) a day.

It also ordered Shenzhen Shengang to start removing the 50-metre long ship within 15 days or face another CFP$5000 (FJ$103,752 ) fine a day.

The court decided if the company failed to act, the French Polynesian government would authorise the salvage operation and bill the company.