CHIEF ENGINEER PLEADS GUILTY TO RECORD BOOK CHARGES

CHIEF ENGINEER PLEADS GUILTY TO RECORD BOOK CHARGES

Tuesday, 10 March 2009

THE former chief engineer on the Cypriot-flag chemical tanker Nautilus has, pleaded guilty today to using falsified records to conceal improper discharges of oil-contaminated bilge water

The US Justice Department says that Carmelo Oria, a Spanish citizen, faces up to 6 years imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

An investigation began in March 2008, when US Coast Guard inspectors conducted an examination of the vessel, following the ship’s arrival in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, and subsequently in the Port of Boston. The Nautilus is operated by Spanish-based Consultores de Navegacion S.A. The USCG says that the inspections uncovered evidence that crew members aboard the ship had improperly handled and disposed of the ship’s oil-contaminated bilge water and falsified entries in the ship’s official oil record book to conceal these activities.

“Carmelo Oria ordered the ship’s crew members to bypass required environmental controls and pump oil-contaminated water from the ship’s bilge directly into the ocean. He then falsified the ship’s records in an attempt to conceal his actions,” said John Cruden, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “As long as individuals and companies continue to bypass this nation’s environmental laws, the Justice Department will continue to bring cases and seek justice for those involved.”