The US Department of Justice has announced that Greek ship management company Chandris (Hellas) Inc. has pleaded guilty and was sentenced for deliberately concealing pollution discharges from the ship directly into the sea and for falsifying record book of M/V Sestrea - an 81,502 ton cargo ship that made calls in multiple ports in Texas. The company has agreed to pay $1 million monetary penalty.Chandris pleaded guilty to a violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) for failing to properly maintain an oil record book as required by federal and international law, as well as a violation of making a false statement for making a false entry in the ship’s oil record book.U.S. District Judge Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered the company to pay an $800,000 criminal fine along with a $200,000 community service payment to the congressionally-established National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. The money will be designated for use in the Flower Garden and Stetson Banks National Marine Sanctuary, headquartered in Galveston, to support the protection and preservation of natural and cultural resources located in and adjacent to the sanctuary.Chandris was also sentenced to three years probation. As a condition of the probation, all ships Chandris manages and are involved in transporting ...
Read more