A Greek shipping company has pleaded guilty and was sentenced for violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and falsifying records during an April 2023 port call in Corpus Christi.
A U.S. District Judge ordered the company to pay a $1.125 million criminal fine and serve four years of probation under an environmental compliance plan. The charges stemmed from a Liberia-flagged vessel’s crew presenting false records to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to conceal illegal discharges of oily bilge water.
The vessel’s former chief engineer also pleaded guilty to failing to record these discharges and was fined $2,000. Investigations revealed that on multiple occasions, lower-ranking personnel were ordered to bypass the Oily Water Separator (OWS) and discharge oil-contaminated water directly into the sea. Additionally, the OWS system was manipulated to conceal oil content levels.
The case was investigated by the USCG’s Investigative Service and prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section. Authorities emphasized their commitment to holding companies accountable for marine pollution and ensuring compliance with environmental laws.
The Coast Guard and our partners remain resolute in our mission to protect our waters, and we encourage the public to continue reporting any suspicious activities as every report is essential in our ongoing effort to preserve the health of our marine ecosystems,
… said Rear Admiral David Barata, commander of the USGC’s Eighth District.
