A ship owner and operator has been brought to justice for their role in environmental crimes.
Empire Bulkers Limited and Joanna Maritime Limited, two related companies based in Greece, were sentenced today for committing knowing and willful violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and the Ports and Waterways Safety Act.
The crimes stem from a March 2022 inspection of the Motor Vessel (M/V) Joanna in New Orleans that revealed required pollution prevention equipment had been tampered with to allow fresh water to trick the sensor designed to detect the oil content of bilge waste being discharged overboard.
The ship’s oil record book, a required log presented to the U.S. Coast Guard, had been falsified to conceal the improper discharges. Inspectors also discovered an unreported safety hazard during the same inspection, including an active fuel oil leak in the engine room where the pressure relief valves on the fuel oil heaters had been disabled.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim said, “Make no mistake, willful tampering with required pollution control equipment and falsifying official ship logs to conceal illegal discharges are serious criminal offenses.”
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans added, “This ship owner and manager operated their foreign flagged vessel in U.S. waters in deliberate violation of the environmental and safety laws designed to protect our ports and waters.”
The two related companies were sentenced to pay $2 million ($1 million each) and serve four years of probation subject to the terms of a government-approved environmental compliance plan that includes independent ship audits and supervision by a court-appointed monitor.
The U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service investigated the case with assistance from Coast Guard Sector New Orleans and the Eighth Coast Guard District.
The prosecution was handled by Senior Litigation Counsel Richard A. Udell of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Dall Kammer for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
The defendant: Empire Bulkers Limited, a Greek shipping company, and Joanna Maritime Limited, a related company, were found guilty of violating environmental laws and safety regulations.
Exact criminal charges: Violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and the Ports and Waterways Safety Act.
City and state: New Orleans, Louisiana.
Exact date: March 2022 (inspection) and [insert date of sentencing].
Sentence or outcome: The two companies were sentenced to pay $2 million ($1 million each) and serve four years of probation subject to the terms of a government-approved environmental compliance plan.
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Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Environmental Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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