DIANA Containerships has been fined US$1.1 million and
sentenced to three and half years of probation for falsification of oil record
books resulting in discharge of waste liquids.
The so-called 'magic pipe case', referring to US
pollution cases on changes to a ship's oily water separator, resulted in two
crewmembers, Ioannis Prokakis and Antonios Boumpoutelos being convicted of
lying to the US Coast Guard over illegal discharge of waste oil and dirty
water.
The vessel's chief engineer and second engineer were
convicted following a 12-day bench trial in Norfolk, Virginia on August 2013.
They were found guilty of conspiracy to lie to inspectors of the US Coast Guard
over knowing falsification of environmental records could be sentenced to five
years, and six for not updating oil record book and 20 years for falsification
of records. The chief engineer could face an additional five years for
obstruction.
The Athens-based shipowner's subsidiary Diana Shipping
Services faces maximum fine of $5.5 million and up to five years' probation.
The company's legal counsel said that the incident is a blight on a clear
record of environmental compliance for its fleet of 40 bulkers.
The company has reviewed its operations and implemented
an enhanced environmental management system that has been independently audited
and certified ISO 14001-compliant, said its director Ioannis Zafirakis,
reported Lloyds List.
Source : HKSG.
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