CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Last week, a Greek shipping company pled guilty and was sentenced for violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and falsifying records, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
A U.S. District Judge ordered the company to pay a criminal fine of $1.125 million and serve a four-year probation, during which it will be subject to an environmental compliance plan that will be watched to ensure future compliance.
“This outcome directly reflects our dedication to holding those who violate laws designed to prevent pollution of the marine environment accountable," said Rear Admiral David Barata, commander of the USGC’s Eighth District. “The Coast Guard and our partners remain resolute in our mission to protect our waters, and we encourage the public to continue reporting any suspicious activities as every report is essential in our ongoing effort to preserve the health of our marine ecosystems.”
In April 2023, Eurobulk Ltd. admittedly violated APPS during its time in the Port of Corpus Christi. A port call by the Good Heart, an ocean-going bulk carrier registered in Liberia that Eurobulk operated, gave false records to the U.S. Coast Guard in an attempt to cover up an illegal discharge of oily bilge water from the vessel.
This was not the first time. Court documents stated that the Good Heart's former chief engineer, Christos Charitos, 72, at least two other times ordered lower-ranking engine personnel to discharge the contents of the duct keel (a pipe tunnel that begins in the engine room and runs forward under the cargo holds) directly into the sea without using the Oily Water Separator (OWS). The discharges contained oil.
The USCG’s Investigative Service (CGIS) investigated the case.
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