U.S.: British shipping company fined for dumping oil near Florida - FreshFruitPortal.com

U.S.: British shipping company fined for dumping oil near Florida

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U.S.: British shipping company fined for dumping oil near Florida

A U.K. shipping company has been fined US$750,000 by a U.S. court for a serious environmental crime involving dumping oil into the ocean off the coast of Florida.Ā 

Scotland-headquartered Norbulk Shipping UK Ltd pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an accurate oil record book in violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and providing false statements to the U.S. coast guard concerning the vesselā€™s garbage record book.

The companyĀ manages a portfolio of shipping services including refrigerated cargo container vessels, according to its website.

Earlier this month the operator of the M/V Murcia Carrier reefer vessel was sentenced to pay the US$750,000 fine and placed on three years of probation by the Honorable Joseph H. Rodriguez, of the Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division and the U.S. Attorneyā€™s Office for the District of New Jersey.

On April 27, 2014, crew members on board the M/V Murcia Carrier dumped overboard several barrels containing hydraulic oil at the direction of the vesselā€™s chief mate Valerii Georgiev, according to a release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice.

It happened in international waters off the coast of Florida while the vessel was in transit from Costa Rica to New Jersey. The dumping was not recorded in either the shipā€™s oil record book or garbage record book as required.

While Norbulk and Georgiev dispute the number of barrels dumped into the sea, the government believes around 20 barrels went overboard.

In an effort to conceal the dumping, crew members presented the U.S. Coast Guard boarding team with a false oil record book and garbage record book when the vessel arrived in New Jersey, adds the release.

"Our oceans are life giving and life sustaining resources that our country and our world depend upon," Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Environment and Natural Resources Division says in the release.

"Ignoring perfectly legal and feasible ways to dispose of waste, the defendants chose instead to dump directly into the ocean. The company will pay a price for this inexcusable and criminal act."

Georgie also pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an accurate oil record book in violation of APPS and is scheduled for sentencing at a future date.

The case was investigated by U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service.

"Marine environmental protection is one of the Coast Guardā€™s primary missions. The Coast Guard takes marine pollution seriously and works cohesively with our partner agencies to hold those who violate international law accountable for their actions,ā€ says Captain Benjamin Cooper, sector commander at Coast Guard Delaware Bay.

"We anticipate the results of this case will deter future brazen illegal oil discharges into the sea."

Norbulk was not available for comment.

Photo: SalFalko, via Flickr Creative Commons

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