V.Ships Norway Fined $2 Million for Illegal Oil Discharges from Tanker

V.Ships Norway A.S. has pleaded guilty to violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships and will pay a $2 million fine after admitting to illegal discharges of oily bilge water and oily waste from the tanker Swift Winchester. The company also acknowledged that these discharges were deliberately omitted from the vessel’s Oil Record Book.

Between February and August 2022, crew members connected a hose between the incinerator waste oil tank and the sewage holding tank on the M/T Swift Winchester, allowing oily waste to bypass required pollution prevention equipment and discharge directly into the sea. A low-ranking engine crewmember reported the violations to a V.Ships Superintendent, who discovered oil in the sewage tank during an investigation. The company subsequently dismissed the Chief Engineer.

In a separate incident in August 2022, a new Chief Engineer ordered the engine crew to clean the Oil Water Separator filter. The crew took the filter onto the deck, hosed it down with degreaser, and allowed the oily waste to wash directly overboard through a scupper.

The illegal activities were uncovered when U.S. Coast Guard members from Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur conducted an examination of the vessel. During the inspection, an engine room crewmember disclosed the discharges and provided photographic and video evidence. The M/T Swift Winchester entered Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on August 25, 2022, and Port Arthur, Texas, on September 7, 2022, with a knowingly falsified Oil Record Book.

“Dumping oil-contaminated waste into the waters around our ports and coasts violates the law and poses an unnecessary health and environmental hazard,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The crew took pains to hide their illegal activity by knowingly keeping inaccurate records. We will not turn a blind eye to this kind of irresponsible and fraudulent activity.”

Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs for the Eastern District of Texas added, “When a foreign ship operated by a foreign company discharges polluting wastes, it threatens waters that are vital to the United States and the state of Texas. We will hold those responsible for polluting the Gulf of America accountable.”

Captain Jennifer Andrew, Commanding Officer of Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur, highlighted the Coast Guard’s role: “Coast Guard Marine Inspectors, Pollution Responders and Investigating Officers undergo rigorous and specialized training to detect and gather evidence of environmental crimes. This expertise alongside our federal partnerships was crucial to the successful prosecution of this violation.”

The case was investigated by U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service. Prosecutors from the Environmental Crimes Section, Eastern District of Texas, and Middle District of Louisiana handled the case.

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