Photo: Alex Staroseltsev / Shutterstock
Eurobulk Ltd. has been ordered to pay a $1.125 million criminal fine and serve four years of probation for violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and falsifying records during a port call in Corpus Christi.
The case involved the Liberian-flagged vessel Good Heart, where crew members illegally discharged oily bilge water and presented false records to the U.S. Coast Guard. The vessel’s former chief engineer, Christos Charitos, 72, was fined $2,000 for failing to record discharges in the vessel’s Oil Record Book.
Court documents revealed that in April 2023, Charitos directed engine personnel to discharge oil-containing duct keel contents directly into the sea, bypassing the required Oily Water Separator (OWS). He also ordered modifications to trick the oil content meter with a freshwater connection, concealing actual discharge contents.
“It is crucial that we strive to eliminate threats to our waters through holding overseas corporations accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Our office will continue to seek justice when foreign vessels fail to comply with the APPS and then seek to cover it up.”
Rear Admiral David Barata, commander of the USCG’s Eighth District, stressed the Coast Guard’s commitment to protecting marine environments: “This outcome directly reflects our dedication to holding those who violate laws designed to prevent pollution of the marine environment accountable.”
In a related incident highlighting ongoing challenges with maritime environmental compliance, Chinese national Fei Wang, 38, was sentenced this week to three months in prison for similar APPS violations aboard the M/V ASL Singapore. Wang used a “magic pipe” system to bypass pollution controls and falsified Oil Record Books between October 2023 and February 2024.
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