Greek Tanker Owner, Engineers Plead Guilty in MARPOL Violation Case

The owner and operator of a Greek product tanker, along with two engineers working on the vessel, have pleaded guilty in the latest U.S. Coast Guard MARPOL violation case. The fines totaled more than $4.5 million for offenses including discharging oily waste into U.S. territorial waters and attempting to conceal the crime by falsifying records.

The U.S. Justice Department reported that the chemical tanker Kriti Ruby committed the offenses during port calls in Jacksonville, Florida, and the Port of Newark, New Jersey, in May and September 2022. The 48,000 dwt Kriti Ruby is registered in Greece and was built in 2008.

The owners of the vessel, Avin International, and operator Kriti Ruby Special Maritime Enterprises entered their guilty pleas on December 23. Both companies pleaded guilty to pollution, falsification of records, and obstruction of justice. The owner was fined $3,375,000, and the operator was fined an additional $1,125,000. Both companies will serve a five-year probation period, during which they will be subject to compliance plans and monitors.

The vessel reportedly discharged oily waste into the sea through its sewage system, bypassing the required pollution prevention equipment. The crew did not record these discharges, and most of the pumps and hoses used for the bypass operations were concealed in a sealed cofferdam, according to the USCG.

Engineers Sentenced

Kriti Ruby‘s former chief engineer, Konstantinos Atsalis, and second engineer, Sonny Bosito, were also sentenced after pleading guilty. Atsalis admitted to falsifying the vessel’s oil record book and directing the crew to bypass pollution prevention equipment. He was sentenced to time served and a $5,000 fine. Bosito, the second engineer, pleaded guilty to concealing the pollution by falsifying records and was also sentenced to time served.

Enforcement of Maritime Pollution Laws

“Prioritizing profits over the environment by discharging oily waste into the sea and working to cover up that pollution is illegal,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We are committed to enforcing the law and fighting against maritime pollution.”

The violations came to light during a USCG expanded Port State inspection in September 2022 in Newark, where the tanker was cited for deficiencies in the oil discharge monitoring and control system. The vessel also received citations for missing the oil record book and other deficiencies during subsequent inspections in Philadelphia.