According to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), two shipping companies were sentenced to pay a $2 million criminal penalty and complete four years of probation for illegally discharging oil into the ocean.
As informed by US DOJ, the companies pleaded guilty to conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS). The case involved a motor tanker, where its captain arranged for oil-contaminated waste to be dumped overboard in January 2023.
The captain ordered the crew to pump the waste overboard and clean the tank with soap. The seamen rigged a portable pump to empty the contents overboard over three days. The defendants falsified the vessel’s oil record book by omitting the discharge. As a result, the captain was sentenced to eight months in prison.
The companies falsified the ship’s oil record book to hide the dumping, a violation of international maritime law (MARPOL Annex I). The illegal discharge was discovered after crew members reported the incident to the U.S. Coast Guard, providing video evidence and recordings.
The penalty includes $500,000 for environmental projects in Louisiana. Additionally, as a condition of probation, the corporations must also adhere to an environmental compliance plan mandating audit, safety and inspection requirements over the next four years.
