On Monday Parmod Kumar, master of the 37,707-dwt bulker African Harrier (built 2014), pleaded guilty to the charge at Tauranga District Court.
He was charged under s40B of the Maritime Transport Act – the first person to be prosecuted since a change to the legislation in October 2013.
The African Harrier was due to leave Tauranga on Sunday, but the pilot is said to have expressed concern to local authorities that the master was under the influence of alcohol.
After
