Mr Dick is facing four counts of permitting a ship to be taken to sea without an appropriate certificate of survey and two counts of sending an unworthy ship to sea.

The LD Shipping operator is alleged to have allowed the MV Statesman to sail to Victoria and NSW last September in an unsafe state.

The ship's rescue boat's lifting-release hook was allegedly inoperable and there were allegedly no records or chart corrections on board the vessel.

The particulars of the charges also allege that navigation staff were unable to test the ship's radio and that the master's and chief engineer's qualifications did not meet requirements.

The case was yesterday adjourned for hearing on December 3.