- A Chinese national who was the chief engineer aboard a Chinese-owned bulker was sentenced to three months in prison for MARPOL violations and obstructing the U.S. Coast Guard’s inspection by presenting false logs.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Louisiana highlighted the guilty sentence as part of its ongoing efforts to hold the individuals responsible for illegally discharging oil and other pollutants personally accountable for the actions of their ships.
The Chief Engineer of a Liberian-flagged bulker pled guilty and was sentenced on 24 January for violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and obstructing proceedings.
MARPOL Magic Pipe Case
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana, the bulk carrier had arrived in New Orleans on 26 February 2024 when the U.S. Coast Guard conducted an inspection, which included review of the vessel’s Oil Record Books. In his plea, the Chief Engineer acknowledged presenting these books to the Coast Guard knowing they contained fraudulent entries and omitted information about discharging oily bilge water directly overboard before arriving in the United States.
The falsified logs were intended to conceal the fact that since at least October 2023, when the Chief Engineer boarded the vessel, the crew had dumped oily bilge water overboard directly from the bilge holding tank and was not complying with international treaties regulating oil pollution from ships.
Furthermore, according to court documents and statements, the crew used a portable pump and flexible hose, a so-called “magic pipe”, to dispose of oily bilge water in violation of MARPOL (the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships), and without the use of the appropriate pollution prevention equipment and monitoring.
The Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) applies to all U.S.-flagged ships anywhere in the world, and to all foreign-flagged vessels operating in navigable waters of the United States, or while at port under U.S. jurisdiction. The Coast Guard has primary responsibility to prescribe and enforce regulations necessary to implement APPS in these waters.
However, this was done prior to the Chief Engineer boarding the vessel and continued while he was in charge of all engine room operations. The vessel’s Oily Water Separator was never properly used during his time as Chief Engineer.
The Chief Engineer of the bulk carrier was sentenced to 3 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release and payment of a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.
The Coast Guard Investigative Service and the EPA Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case with assistance from U.S. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans.
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Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office
