The Christchurch Coroner is recommending new standards for briefing non-English speaking sea captains after the death of a Russian seaman in 2006.
Sergy Kulik, 47, died on a container ship in the Port of Lyttelton when he became caught in the ship's mooring equipment.
The coroner says as the ship was leaving the wharf, the captain failed to comply with basic safety practice because the mooring lines were not clear of the water.
He says the captain's English was limited and there is little evidence that he understood a pilot's briefing on the manouevre for leaving port.
The coroner is recommending that Maritime New Zealand provide specific standards for briefing non-Engish speaking captains.
