Tradewinds – 18.03.2008 

The pilot of a containership that spilt thousands of gallons of oil in San Francisco Bay last year has been charged with criminal negligence.

John Cota, who was piloting the 5,447-teu containership Cosco Busan (built 2001) when it hit the Bay Bridge, faces 18 months in jail and up to $100,000 in fines if convicted. 

Cota was at the helm of the containership when it struck a fender protecting a support tower beneath the bridge on 7 November 2007.

The collision caused a rupture in the ship’s fuel tanks and spilled an estimated 58,000 gallons of fuel into the bay. 

"While piloting the ship in heavy fog, (Mr Cota) failed to pilot a collision-free course and failed to adequately review the proposed course with the captain on official navigation charts," the Justice Department said in a statement.

But Cota has disputed some of the charges, saying his radar had become "distorted" and "unreliable" as he tried to navigate the bay, causing him to switch to the ship’s electronic charting system. 

Cota also told investigators he did review the electronic charts with the vessel’s Chinese captain before departing.

"Captain Cota is a qualified, experienced pilot, who has worked on the San Francisco Bay for almost 27 years," said Jeff Bornstein, Captain Cota’s lawyer. 

He added: "We strongly believe that once all the evidence is heard, a jury will find in Captain Cota's favour."

By Dale Wainwright in Singapore