BERLIN: The owner of a vehicle carrier ship discharged thousands of gallons last year in Alaskan waters, a hundred-plus miles from the nearest Aleutian island but well within the exclusive economic zone of the United States.
In a federal plea agreement unveiled Thursday, AML Ship Management of Hamburg, Germany, admits that the chief engineer of the F/V City of Tokyo fabricated an illegal pump system to discharge 4,500 gallons of oily bilge water from the 603-foot ship on August 29.
The release was a violation of the Clean Water Act, which allows liquid containing no more than 15 parts per million of oil to be discharged at sea, and left behind a sheen visible to crew members.
The illegal pump system allowed the vessel’s crew to discharge oily bilge water from the bilge holding tank directly overboard without processing,” federal prosecutors wrote in a plea agreement signed by the government and the company. “The illegal pump system was dismantled prior to the vessel’s arrival in Portland, (Ore.)”
Additionally, the company admitted fabricating its oil record book from that trip.
AML pleaded guilty to actions prohibited under the Clean Water Act as well as the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships and will pay $800,000 in fines and community service payments.
The company maintains a fleet of five vehicle carrier ships and one passenger ship, and under the plan must implement a plan to comply with environmental rules, according to court documents.
Chief Engineer Nicolas Sassin also signed a plea agreement in court admitting guilt to Alaska and Oregon charges.
