Cook Strait ferry master suspended

A ferry master has received a ban on sailing the Cook Strait after he came close to grounding the ship.

The Maritime Safety Authority has imposed a 14-day suspension on the master of Santa Regina - the Bluebridge ferry which collided with a pleasure boat in the Marlborough Sounds last month, killing boatie Norman McFarlane.

News of the suspension comes a day after a damning safety authority report on Bluebridge's competitor, Toll Shipping, regarding a near-grounding in Tory Channel last September, followed two days later by the Aratere cutting across the bow of another ship.

The latest incident happened as the Santa Regina was leaving Tory Channel last week. The authorities were not told until Monday. Safety authority director Russell Kilvington said the ferry took a course that would have led to its grounding off East Head.

"I have advised Strait Shipping that unless they can give us an immediate assurance that any problem has been rectified and that there are measures in place to prevent a recurrence, I will have no option but to place further conditions on their operations," he said.

Those conditions could include restrictions on the type, time and location of the company's operations.

Strait Shipping bought the former French-flagged Santa Regina for $11.6 million.

Strait Shipping spokeswoman Wendy Pannett said sailings would not be affected by the suspension.