Americas News
Egypt and Singapore-Based Companies Face $1.9 Million Penalty Related to Oily Waste Dumping, Pollution
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Public Affairs Tuesday announced that two shipping companies, based in Egypt and Singapore, are facing a $1.9 million penalty after pleading guilty in federal court in Beaumont, Texas to violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and obstruction of justice for covering up the illegal dumping of oil-contaminated bilge water and garbage from one of their ships into the sea.
The defendants include the owner of the 57,920 gross tonne oil tanker M/T ETC MENA, the Egyptian Tanker Company, and the vessel's operator, Thome Ship Management.
The companies admitted that crew members of the M/T ETC MENA had bypassed the ships oily water separator (OWS) and discharged bilge water into the ocean in March 2016 without utilising pollution prevention equipment.
The discharge of bilge water without using the OWS, as well as the discharge of plastic garbage into the ocean the same month, was not entered into the ship’s Oil Record Book and Garbage Record Book - a further violation of APPS.
The companies also pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for presenting false documents to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) during the inspection in Port Arthur, Texas.
The companies will be placed on a four-year term of probation that includes a comprehensive environmental compliance plan, and will be required to ensure marine and coastal restoration efforts at three National Wildlife Refuges located on the Gulf of Mexico in East Texas.
