The UNITED STATE Coast Guard is relocating to take enforcement activity versus New York- based Bouchard Transportation Company after the firm stopped working to follow a current captain of the port order pertaining to the safety and security of among its vessels secured in Port Arthur,Texas

The Coast Guard states the pulls Kim M. Bouchard and also Danielle M. Bouchard and also their connected barges have actually been secured off Texas Point because mid-December without well-known strategies to relocate and also teams overdue because January, increasing significant problems over the safety and security of the vessels and also health of the teams.

Captain Jacqueline Twomey, captain of the port of Port Arthur, provided captain of the port orders to both vessels on February 10 to deal with troubles connected to staffing and also safety and security, or face tight fines and also also jail.

Similar captain of the port orders were additionally sent out to Bouchard vessels in New York and also New Jersey and alsoNew Orleans

The orders have actually properly avoided Bouchard teams from deserting the vessels, regardless of no warranty of an income.

According to a Coast Guard declaration on Thursday, the COTP order versus the Danielle M. Bouchard was “amended to require additional repairs or to be moored at a dock”, withCapt Twomey approving a 3-day expansion for Bouchard to satisfy the needs. However, Bouchard has actually currently stopped working to conform by the prolonged target date of Sunday, and also a 2nd expansion demand has actually been refuted, the Coast Guard claimed.

In conformity with the present captain of the port order, optimum civil fines for Bouchard can consist of penalties of $94,219 for every offense and also a course D felony culpable by as much as 6 years behind bars and also a penalty of as much as $500,000.

The Coast Guard firmly insists that the teams of the are exempt for the fines, instead it is the duty ofBouchard

“Multiple Coast Guard men and women are in daily contact with crews remaining aboard both vessels to ensure they are safe and have adequate provisions,” the Coast Guard claimedThursday “Twomey visited both tugs Tuesday and expressed her gratitude to the professional mariners aboard who understand their responsibility to the waterways and are continuing to diligently stand their watch and weather the situation to the best of their abilities. She assured them the Coast Guard’s top priority is their safety and wellbeing. She also told them all related fines and penalties will not be directed at them, but rather at Bouchard Transportation Company,” the Coast Guard claimed.

Combined, the Kim M. Bouchard and also Danielle M. Bouchard and also their barges are lugging almost 200,000 gallons of oil, gas and also various other possible contaminants.

“The Coast Guard expects vessel owners to proactively manage the safety of their vessels and ensure operators have sufficient resources to maintain compliance with applicable requirements, and it is our responsibility to the public, professional mariners, and the marine transportation system to hold companies accountable when safety demands it,” claimed Twomey.