This related to the discharge of oil from the 2009-built MR ’Ridgebury Alexandra Z’, confirmed by Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the US Environment and Natural Resources Division and US Attorney David Joseph for the Western District of Louisiana.
Interorient Marine Services had admitted that oil cargo residues and oily bilge water were illegally dumped from the MR directly into the sea without being properly processed through required pollution prevention equipment.
The company also admitted that false entries were made in the vessel’s oil record book to conceal the illegal dumping.
Specifically, senior ships officers employed by Interorient discharged oily waste into the ocean by flushing the vessel’s pollution prevention equipment sensor with fresh water.
This move tricked the system into detecting a much lower effluent oil content than what was actually being discharged. The officers then falsified the vessel’s oil record book, recording that 87,705 gallons of oily wastewater had been discharged properly through the pollution prevention equipment, when in fact they knew that this pollution prevention equipment had been tampered with.
“By illegally dumping oily waste into the ocean, Interorient intentionally violated federal law that protects valuable marine resources and wildlife,” said Assistant Attorney General Clark. “This conviction shows that corporations and individuals that willfully flout our nation’s environmental laws will be held accountable by criminal prosecution.”
“My office is charged with enforcing federal and international laws designed to protect our oceans from pollutants carried by commercial vessels,” US Attorney Joseph added. “Tankers are required to offload their waste oil at disposal facilities at ports and not into the Gulf of Mexico. This case should serve as a deterrent to other individuals and companies that ignore our laws, pollute our waters, and damage our environment.”
“The (US) Coast Guard takes its responsibilities to protect the marine environment seriously,” said US Coast Guard Commander Daniel Cost, CO of Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles. “When potential criminal violations of our nation's pollution laws are identified, we work closely with the Department of Justice to ensure any illegal activities are prosecuted to the fullest extent of law.”
Interorient pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, for failing to accurately maintain the ’Ridgebury Alexandra Z’s’ oil record book.
Under the terms of a plea agreement, the company will pay a total fine of $2 mill and serve a four-year probation term, during which all vessels operated by the company and calling on US ports will be required to implement a robust Environmental Compliance Plan.
The vessel’s Master, Vjaceslavs Birzakovs, was charged in a six-count indictment by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Louisiana on 29th November, 2018, for his involvement in this case.
The indictment alleged that Birzakovs directed circumvention of the vessel’s pollution prevention equipment, falsified records, obstructed justice, made false statements, and conspired with other crew members to falsify the vessel’s oil record book and to obstruct the USCG’s enforcement of the law in conjunction with the illegal discharges from the tanker.
The charges and allegations contained in Birzakovs’ indictment are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, the US Department of Justice said.
This case was investigated by the US Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles, and the USCG Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Stephen Da Ponte of the Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice, and Assistant US Attorney Daniel McCoy of the US Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana.