Illegal Discharge of Oil into Texas Port Waters Comes at a Hefty Price

摘要

TWO GREEK shipping companies, Avin International Ltd. and Nicos I.V. Special Maritime Enterprises, have pleaded guilty in a federal court to charges stemming from several discharges of oil into the waters of Texas ports by the oil tanker MIT Nicos I. V.According to court documents, at some point, before July 6, 2017, the ballast system onboard the Nicos I.V. became contaminated with oil and that oil was discharged twice into the Port of Houston during debal-lasting operations on July 6 and 7 in 2017."The international ports of Houston and Port Arthur are no one's dumping ground," said Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark. "Those who knowingly discharge their waste and lie to the Coast Guard ... are on notice that our investigators and prosecutors stand ready to hold them accountable." Both companies pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of an agency proceeding and one count of failure to report discharge of oil and three counts of negligent discharge of oil under the Clean Water Act. Under the agreement, the companies will pay a $4 million criminal fine and serve a four-year term of probation, during which vessels operated by the companies will be required to implement an environmental compliance plan. The Master of the Nicos I.V., Rafail-Thomas Tousmakos and the vessel's Chief Officer, Alexios Thomo-poulos, also pleaded guilty to one count of making a material false statement.