▲FILE PHOTO: G-Valeriy / Shutterstock

新加坡航运公司Zeaborn Ship Management承认保留在Star Maia号船上含油舱底水记录簿和垃圾记录簿上存在虚假和不完整记录的情况。

Zeaborn 同意支付 200 万美元的罚款。其船上轮机长Constancio Estuye 和船长Alexander Parreno 也承认参与了此次犯罪活动。

Zeaborn和Estuye承认，在没有进行所必需的防污染设备处理的情况下，将Star Maia号上超过7500加仑的含油舱底水非法倾倒向了海洋，随后在油类记录簿中记录了虚假的排放情况。

含油舱底水通常含有船舶机械操作和清洁过程中产生的油污。

同时，Zeaborn和Parreno进一步承认，在2022年6月至8月期间，还进行至少三到四次的非法排放含油舱底水的行为，并且在Star Maia号的甲板上燃烧垃圾，随后将垃圾直接扔进海洋。

这些垃圾包括纸张、塑料和油布，船上船员把它们直接装在了桶里烧掉，然后倾倒进海里。

其行为严重违反了相关法律法规，也没有按照相关要求记录在该船的垃圾记录簿中。

司法部环境和自然资源司助理检察长托德·金说:“非法向海洋倾倒含油舱底水和垃圾对海洋环境的健康和生存能力造成了严重的威胁。”“这次起诉表明了我们的态度，即确保那些违反环境法的人们必将为他们自己的犯罪行为负责。”

Zeaborn在圣地亚哥的美国地方法院承认了两项违反《防止船舶污染法》(APPS)的重罪，同意向国家鱼类和野生动物基金会支付150万美元的罚款和50万美元的社区服务费。

该公司还将有四年的审核观察期，在此期间，其公司拥有的任何停靠美国港口的船只都必须执行一项环境合规计划。

Estuye和Parreno各自承认一项重罪，因为他们未能准确保存Star Maia号上的油类记录簿和垃圾记录簿。

对两位被告Zeaborn、Estuve和Parreno的判决将于12月1日进行。

“这次起诉凸显了司法部和美国海岸警卫队一直以来致力于保护我们的海洋环境，制止那些试图故意损害我们自然资源的人。”

美国海岸警卫队圣地亚哥区指挥官詹姆斯·W·斯皮特勒上尉表示：“非法倾倒含油舱底水喝含油垃圾、伪造石油记录簿，公然无视空气排放要求都是严重的违法行为。”

“这些认罪行为应该提醒我们，海岸警卫队和我们在司法部的合作伙伴将不懈努力，追究那些蓄意损害海洋环境的人的责任。”

英文原文

Singaporean shipping company Zeaborn Ship Management has pleaded guilty to maintaining false and incomplete records relating to the discharge of oily bilge water and garbage on board the vessel Star Maia.

Zeaborn has agreed to pay a $2 million penalty. The Chief Engineer, Constancio Estuye, and Captain, Alexander Parreno, have also pleaded guilty for their involvement in the crimes.

Zeaborn and Estuye admitted to illegally dumping over 7,500 gallons of oily bilge water from the Star Maia into the ocean without processing it through required pollution prevention equipment, and then falsely recording the discharges in the oil record book. 

Oily bilge water typically contains oil contamination from the operation and cleaning of machinery on the vessel.

Zeaborn and Parreno further admitted to illegal discharges of oily bilge water and burning garbage on the Star Maia’s deck on least three or four occasions between June and August 2022, which was then thrown into the ocean. 

The garbage included paper, plastics and oily rags, which tehy burned in barrels and dumped overboard. 

This was not recorded in the vessel’s garbage record book as required by law.

“Illegally dumping oily waste and garbage at sea poses a serious threat to the health and viability of the marine environment,” 

Said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. 

“This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that those who violate environmental laws are held accountable for their criminal conduct.”

Zeaborn has pleaded guilty to two felony violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) in a US District Court in San Diego, agreeing to pay a $1.5 million fine and a $500,000 community service payment to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. 

The company will also serve a four-year probation period, during which any vessels calling on US ports must implement an environmental compliance plan.

Estuye and Parreno each pleaded guilty to one felony violation for failing to accurately maintain the oil and garbage record books for the Star Maia. 

Sentencing for defendants Zeaborn, Estuve and Parreno is set for December 1.

“This prosecution highlights the Justice Department and the U.S. Coast Guard’s continued dedication in safeguarding our maritime environment against those that seek to deliberately harm our natural resources,” 

Said Sector Commander Captain James W. Spitler of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Sector San Diego. 

“Illegal dumping of oil, falsification of oil record books and flagrant disregard for air emission requirements are egregious violations.“

”These guilty pleas should serve as a reminder that the Coast Guard and our partners at the Justice Department will work tirelessly to hold accountable those that seek to deliberately harm the maritime environment.”

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