A chief engineer has officially entered a guilty plea following a dangerous incident in a South Carolina harbor in June 2024, during which a large cargo ship lost control while departing. The engineer is accused of failing to report hazardous conditions and obstructing investigations by giving false information and instructing another crew member to omit critical details, reports Marine Insight.
Chief engineer pleads guilty
The incident occurred shortly after the engineer took charge in April 2024. He reported discovering multiple mechanical malfunctions on board: air compressors leaking, generators underperforming, cooling system leaks, and a system used for linking bridge commands to engine responses that required manual adjustment when engine RPM targets were not being met. Despite these warnings, no full remedial action was taken before departure.
On the day in question, as the vessel was leaving port, a major component of the engine control system became disconnected. Attempts to reconnect it failed and the ship accelerated uncontrollably, exceeding safe speed limits in the harbor. Local authorities were forced to close a major harbor bridge and clear nearby beaches as public safety precautions.
The runaway vessel caused significant damage along the shoreline, foul wake effects, and injured two recreational boaters. Property and infrastructure damage was estimated at over half a million dollars. After leaving the harbor, the ship was anchored offshore, detained by authorities, and later brought back under controlled conditions for further inspections.
Legal documents reveal that the engineer admitted to providing misleading information to federal investigators and instructing others to suppress facts about the mechanical failures and adjustments made before and during the incident. Under the plea deal, he faces charges that carry possible sentences of up to six years for the failure to report hazardous conditions, and up to five years for obstruction, along with substantial fines and supervised release.
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Source: Marine Insight
