Ship manager sentenced after attempting to conceal dangerous discharge

The United States has been cracking down on marine pollution and recently sentenced a Mexico-based ship manager company for concealing illegal discharges of oily bilge waste into the sea.

What's happening?

According to gCaptain, the ship manager involved was Gremex Shipping S.A. It manages multiple ships, including the Panamanian-flagged cement carrier MV Suhar.

After an investigation conducted by the Coast Guard's Investigative Service, the ship manager pleaded guilty to violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships.

The Suhar, which regularly carried cement from Tampico, Mexico, to Pensacola, Florida, came under investigation when it arrived in Pensacola on Aug. 25, 2023.

During the investigation, the Coast Guard discovered that the ship's crew had regularly been dumping untreated oily bilge water — water contaminated by oil and other substances in the bilge of a ship — into the ocean.

The crew bypassed the onboard pollution control system, which is meant to separate contaminants like oil from bilge water before discharging the water into the sea. They then falsified the information in the ship's oil record book.

In a federal district court in Pensacola, Gremex pleaded guilty to the charges, and the court imposed a hefty sentence. The company was fined $1.75 million, put on a four-year probation, and required to develop and implement a comprehensive environmental compliance plan during the probation, per gCaptain.

Why is marine pollution important?

Oil is toxic for animals when inhaled or ingested, and it can affect their fur or feathers, leaving them unable to regulate safe body temperatures. Marine pollution can result in the death of sea birds, marine mammals, and fish. It can also endanger the habitats that marine life depends on. 

These impacts on animals can then lead to the loss of jobs in the fishing industries and cause major disruptions to the economy.

Ocean pollution also impacts human health. People can be exposed to contaminants in the water and in seafood, and these risks are often felt more significantly by low-income communities. 

What's being done about marine pollution?

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), which regulates the discharge of oily bilge water, has both Panama and the U.S. as signatories. It aims to monitor compliance with the marine pollution regulations. 

U.S. federal law also requires that all foreign ships entering the nation's ports maintain an accurate oil record book. 

To address future oil spills, leaks, and discharges of contaminated waste, scientists and researchers are regularly working on new developments. From laser-treated cork to water drones and new government regulatory policies, there are many groups taking action to protect the planet's oceans.

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