Americas News
German Ship Owner and Operator Plead Guilty in U.S. to Crimes Related to Oily Waste Dumping
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California Wednesday said vessel operator W. Bockstiegel Reederei GmbH & Co. KG (W. Bockstiegel) and vessel owner W. Bocksteigel GmBH & Co., Reederei KG MS "NILS B" (W. Bocksteigel Nils B) pleaded guilty to failing to accurately maintain an Oil Record Book in relation to the MS Nils B.
A U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) inspection on August 5, 2014 is said to have revealed that the crew had failed to keep an Oil Record Book for a significant period of time, modifications had been made to piping coming from the Oil Water Separator, including the presence of a "magic pipe," with oil discovered in discharge piping where it should not have been present.
During the inspection, USCG is said to have found that a "magic hose" near the oil water separator contained slightly weathered light fuel oil mixed with lubricating oil.
With their guilty plea, the two companies admitted that the vessel's Oil Record Book did not disclose any discharges of sludge from the time that the overboard discharge valve had been cleaned during dry dock in June 2014 and its entry into the Port of San Diego that August.
The companies and the USCG are said to have agreed to recommend the court impose a criminal penalty of $750,000, including $250,000 as a community service payment for toward the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve.
In 2014, W. Bockstiegel was among 12 companies that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) fined a total of $476,750 for failing to switch to low sulfur fuel when entering waters regulated by the U.S. state.
