Summary of Criminal Prosecutions
FISCAL YEAR: 2012
1. PRINCIPAL DEFENDANT: Efploia Shipping Company
D. Maryland 1:11-CR-00652-MJG
D. Maryland 1:11-CR-00652-MJG
2. DEFENDANT: Aquarosa Shipping A/S
D. Maryland 1:11-CR-00671-MJG
D. Maryland 1:11-CR-00671-MJG
Efploia Shipping, a Marshall Islands corporation based in Greece, was the technical manager of the M/V Aquarosa, a 33,005 gross ton newly built cargo ship, constructed in China and registered in Malta. Aquarosa Shipping, a company based in Denmark, was the owner of the vessel. According to papers filed in court, senior ship engineers started dumping oil contaminated bilge waste on the ship’s very first voyage after it was completed in June 2010 in China. One method involved removing the blocking mechanism inside a valve so that waste could be pumped overboard. Another method involved a so-called “magic pipe” consisting of a long rubber hose and metal flanges welded together onboard to bypass required pollution prevention equipment.
December 9, 2011
The defendants were charged with violating APPS {33 U.S.C. 1907 and 1908}; making false statements, a violation of 18 U.S.C. 1001 and violation 18 U.S.C. 1505.
CITATION: 18 U.S.C. 1505, 33 U.S.C. 1319, 33 U.S.C. 1907, 33 U.S.C. 1908
January 25, 2012
Both Efploia Shipping and Aquarosa Shipping were sentenced to pay a total of $1.2 million. Of that amount, each defendant was ordered to pay $275,000 in organizational community service payments to the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation which will receive a total of $550,000 earmarked for projects involving Chesapeake Bay. In addition, both companies will serve 36 months probation.
STATUTE:
- Title 18 U.S. Criminal Code (TITLE 18)
- Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS)
- MARPOL Protocol - Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)