The U.S. Master of P&O operated cruise ship "Azura" is currently facing unprecedented charges brought against him by French prosecutors for the violation of European pollution limits. Master Evans Hoyt potentially faces a one-year prison sentence and/or a fine of up to EUR200,000. This Monday marked the start of Mr. Hoyt's trial before the Criminal Court of … [Read more...]
First Ocean Plastics Cleanup System Launched from San Francisco
The world's first large-scale ocean cleanup system was launched from San Francisco over the weekend to a location offshore California where it will undergo testing before its deployment to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. If all goes according to plan, the system, developed by the Dutch non-profit The Ocean Cleanup, will be the first of approximately 60 systems focused on … [Read more...]
NASA Satellite Shows ‘Ship Tracks’ Over Atlantic, Pacific Oceans
The above satellite image was captured on by a NASA satellite on January 16, 2018 and shows criss-crossing cloud bands caused by ships in the eastern Atlantic Ocean off Spain and Portugal. Although the white trails look vaguely like contrails left behind by airplanes, they actually result from ship exhaust. The narrow clouds, known as ship tracks, form when … [Read more...]
Bulk Carrier Owner and Master Fined for Dumping Trash Off Australia
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has prosecuted China Earth Shipping Incorporated, the owners of Panama flagged bulk carrier Xin Tai Hai and its master after the ship's crew tossed bags of garbage overboard near Gladstone in June last year. The shipowner was fined $20,000 and the ship's master was fined $6000 in the Townsville Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, … [Read more...]
Car Carrier Chief Engineer Pleads Guilty in ‘Magic Pipe’ Case
The chief engineer of a car carrier has pleaded guilty in federal court in Baltimore, Maryland, to obstruction of justice and violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships. Noly Torato Vidad was the chief engineer of the Panama-flagged MV Selene Leader, operated by Hachiuma Steamship Co LTD, a Japanese company, between August 2013 and the end of January … [Read more...]