Chief Engineer of ASL Singapore Sentenced for MARPOL Violations

The chief engineer of the Liberian-flagged vessel ASL Singapore has been sentenced to three months in prison after admitting to violating MARPOL regulations and misleading investigators from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG).

The engineer pleaded guilty to illegally discharging oily bilge water directly into the sea, falsifying records, and presenting these inaccurate records to USCG inspectors. A U.S. court sentenced him to three months in jail, followed by three years of supervised release, along with a mandatory special assessment fee of $200.

When the ASL Singapore docked in New Orleans on February 26, 2024, U.S. Coast Guard officials discovered MARPOL violations onboard, leading to the vessel's detention. According to the USCG, the engineer used a portable pump and flexible hose—often referred to as a “magic pipe”—to bypass proper waste disposal procedures and discharge bilge water directly overboard.

The USCG reported that there was no attempt to process the bilge water through the required filtering system, and investigators were presented with fraudulent documentation regarding its disposal.

The chief engineer stated that the illegal discharge practice was already in place before he assumed his role on the vessel and continued during his tenure.