Greek Shipping Firm Eurobulk Fined for Pollution Violations

The Greek maritime company Eurobulk Ltd. has admitted guilt in violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and falsifying records to cover up the infractions. As a result, the company has been ordered to pay a criminal fine of $1.125 million and must comply with a four-year probation period that includes adherence to an environmental compliance plan.

The violations in question took place in April 2023 at the Port of Corpus Christi. One of Eurobulk’s vessels, the Good Heart, was discovered to have illegally discharged oily bilge water into the sea during an inspection by the U.S. Coast Guard on April 29, 2023.

Subsequent investigations revealed that the crew of the Good Heart had released oily wastewater directly into the ocean on at least two occasions that month. Additionally, the ship’s chief engineer instructed crew members to run fresh water through the oil-water separator (OWS), a deceptive tactic meant to manipulate the device’s meter into displaying an acceptable oil content level.

Furthermore, the Oil Record Book (ORB) was not updated to reflect the discharges, a violation of both APPS and MARPOL regulations, which mandate accurate record-keeping. The chief engineer of the Good Heart also pleaded guilty to failing to record the incidents in the ORB. He was sentenced and fined $2,000 for his role in the offense.