Turkish Atlas Ship Management has pleaded guilty in a US District Court in Tampa, Florida, to federal charges of making false statements and knowingly failing to accurately maintain an oil record book, reports the US Department of Justice. The company was sentenced to pay a USD 800,000 criminal fine and USD 100,000 in community service.
Turkish Atlas Ship Management has pleaded guilty in a US District Court in Tampa, Florida, to federal charges of making false statements and knowingly failing to accurately maintain an oil record book, reports the US Department of Justice. The company was sentenced to pay a USD 800,000 criminal fine and USD 100,000 in community service.
On October 21, 2009, the US Coast Guard boarded the company’s bulk carrier Avenue Star in Tampa.
“During the inspection, two crew members provided information to the Coast Guard that indicated that senior engineers on the vessel were illegally dumping oily waste from the engine room directly into the sea. The crew members also informed the Coast Guard that some oil waste was being stored in the clean sea water ballast tanks on the vessel. The Coast Guard inspection confirmed what the crew members had alleged ... Engineers on the vessel had installed and used a bypass hose, also referred to as a ’magic pipe’ or ’magic hose’, to bypass pollution prevention equipment”, the US Department of Justice reports.
The vessel’s chief engineer, Gunduz Avaz, had previously pleaded guilty to, and was sentenced for his role in, covering up the illegal overboard oil discharges. The second assistant engineer, Yavuz Molgultay, had also previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced for his involvement in covering up the illegal discharges of oil from the ship.
The whistleblowers have each been awarded USD 125,000. Call Sign : 9HFI9 Gross tonnage : 10965 Type of ship : Bulk Carrier Year of build : 2007 Flag : Malta