Pacific and Atlantic (Shipmanagers), Inc., incorporated in the Marshall Islands with offices in Athens, Greece, was sentenced to a $500,000 fine by United States District Court Judge Gregory M. Sleet for violating the Act To Prevent Pollution From Ship, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Delaware.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Pacific and Atlantic operated the M/V Bulk Victory, a cargo ship. On March 7, 2014, the U.S. Coast Guard boarded the vessel in the Delaware Bay Big Stone Anchorage to conduct an inspection. The inspection and investigation revealed that from January through September 2013, the M/V Bulk Victory discharged overboard, in the open ocean, no less than 34 metric tons of oily bilge water and waste sludge.
During the Coast Guard boarding on March 7, 2014, crewmen presented the ship’s Oil Record Book, which did not record the relevant overboard discharges.
Pacific and Atlantic was ordered to pay the $500,000 fine immediately, and also placed on probation for three years. During that time, the M/V Bulk Victory will be banned from calling on ports of the United States.
