The US Department of Justice received a court order on December 11, awarding the US $857,868 in civil penalties, along with other relief, in the Department’s immigration-related employment discrimination lawsuit against companies that provide contract shipyard labor.
The US Department of Justice announced that Navimax Corporation was fined with $2,000,000 by a federal district court for violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships and obstructing a Coast Guard investigation. Namely, the company discharged oily waste at sea.
The owner and captain of the Malaysian-flagged fishing vessel ‘Buah Naga 1’, that was boarded and arrested by Tanzanian law enforcement agents as part of Operation Jodari, have pleaded guilty to the charge of Unlawful Possession of Shark Fins in a plea agreement with Tanzanian prosecutors, Sea Shepherd informed.
The Captain of the Panama-registered oil and chemical tanker ‘Pegasus’ was fined $1,000 and removed from his position for exceeding the alcohol limit in New Zealand waters, prior departing New Plymouth on the evening of December 11. Maritime NZ’s Regional Manager Central, Michael-Paul Abbott, said that the sentencing is a strong reminder for seafarers.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has revoked the Australian Certificate for the Carriage of Livestock (ACCL) of the Panamanian-flagged livestock carrier ‘Jawan’, as ‘the vessel’s approved stability data cannot be relied upon when the vessel is loaded’.
According to the North P&I Club, India is imposing customs fines on LNG carriers for cargo shortages upon discharge at ports in Gujarat. These fines allege a cargo shortage when a vessel does not discharge the entire quantity of LNG cargo detailed on the bill of lading.
California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced that MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company paid a total of $630,625 in penalties to the California Air Resources Board for breaching the Ocean-Going Vessel At-Berth regulation.
In November, South Korea’s Supreme Court ordered major Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. to pay damages to two groups of South Koreans for wartime labor. On the other hand, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries on a press release stated that these rulings are deeply regrettable, as they violate the Agreement and are contrary to the view of the Japanese government and the final and binding judgements of the Supreme Court of Japan.
Brazilian prosecutors announced earlier this week that major oil traders Vitol, Trafigura and Glencore had paid over $30 million in bribes to Petrobras employees. Petrobras employees offered these companies lower prices for oil, along with storage tanks, in more than 160 separate operations.
Biosecurity New Zealand ordered a vehicle carrier to leave New Zealand after discovering stink bugs and other regulated pests. Namely, biosecurity officers intercepted 3 live and 39 dead brown marmorated stink bugs and 69 other dead regulated stink bugs after the vessel arrived in Auckland from Europe on November 28.
