A company and its director who operated a commuter ferry between Kent and Essex has been ordered to pay £16,000 after admitting running an unsafe vessel.

The Duchess M, owned by Thames & Medway Passenger Boat Co. Ltd, used to run the Gravesend to Tilbury route daily.

In September 2016 just before 6am the ferry was approaching Gravesend when its main engine cut out and it collided with another boat. It had to anchor as a precaution.

Following this incident, the Duchess M was inspected by an official from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and detained as a result of deficiencies.

After further inspections in November and January, the Duchess M was released but following an investigation by the MCA’s Enforcement Unit, the decision was made to prosecute the company and director John Potter, of Tonbridge.

Appearing at Bromley Magistrates' Court Potter admitted operating an unsafe vessel. He was fined a total of £3,000. The company also pleaded guilty and were fined a total of £5,000 with £8,017.13 costs.

Mike Greenwood, technical manager for the Thames area with the Maritime & Coastguard Agency said: "Maintenance should be an ongoing matter for the operator of any vessel. Problems should not be allowed to build up as this may affect the safety of the vessel.

"It is also of great concern to the MCA that deficiencies from a previous inspection had been reported to MCA as corrected, but the more recent inspection showed, in fact, that this was not the case."