U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett has ordered Stavanger, Norway, based mostly Clipper Shipping AS to pay a $1.5 million high quality after the corporate pleaded guity to discharging oily bilge water from the tanker Clipper Saturn, acknowledging that the discharges have been omitted from the vessel’s Oil Record Book.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s workplace for the Southern District of Texas, on Sept. 27 and Oct. 1, 2021, the Clipper Saturn was anchored close to Lome, Togo. The chief engineer on the time directed oily bilge water to be transferred into the vessel’s grey water tank after which discharged straight overboard beneath the duvet of darkness. In order to perform the discharge, a bit of piping needed to be eliminated and a hose put in onto the eductor system. This association was used to discharge the grey water tank straight overboard. Personnel then re-installed and repainted the piping within the space with a purpose to make it seem that none had been eliminated. Authorities realized in regards to the discharges throughout an inspection of the vessel in Houston Oct. 28, 2021.
“We take seriously the crimes of illegally discharging oily bilge water at sea and falsifying records to obstruct the United States’ ability to investigate those discharges,” mentioned Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The U.S. Coast Guard must be able to rely on truthful records on board ships, and the Department of Justice will continue to ensure polluters are held fully accountable.”
