Two ship engineers pleaded guilty on May 7, to charges related to concealing pollution and falsifying records onboard an oil tanker near a petroleum terminal in Sewaren, New Jersey.
According to the US Office of Public Affairs, the chief engineer admitted to bypassing pollution prevention equipment and discharging oily waste into the sea near a petroleum terminal in Sewaren, New Jersey. He also confessed to falsifying the vessel’s oil record book (ORB) and directing crew members to hide equipment before Coast Guard inspections. The second engineer pleaded guilty to concealing the discharge of oily waste and directing crew members to hide equipment.
As informed, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service conducted the investigation, with prosecutors from the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey handling the case.
The maximum penalty for each charge is six years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 22.
