U.S. DOJ: Guilty Plea in Oil Pollution Case
U.S. Shipping Company Convicted For Oil Pollution On High Seas. Horizon Lines, LLC was sentenced Tuesday in front of the Honorable Richard Seeborg after pleading guilty to felony charges concerning violations of international and national oil pollution laws that occurred on a large container ship called the S/S Horizon Enterprise, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced. As part of a plea agreement, the company was ordered to pay $1,500,000, with $500,000 of the monies going to environmental projects in the San Francisco Bay area. Horizon Lines pled guilty to two counts of making false statements based on their knowing failure to maintain an accurate Oil Record Book in which all transfers and discharges of oil and oily waste are required to be recorded.
CG Revokes Palm Beach Princess' Certificate
The Acting Coast Guard Captain of the Port for Palm Beach, Fla., Capt. Cynthia Stowe, revoked the Palm Beach Princess’ Coast Guard-issued Certificate of Compliance Dec. 8 after the vessel failed to make required repairs to one of its main propulsion engines. The vessel is now prohibited from carrying passengers in any U.S. port until its Certificate of Compliance is reinstated. On Sept. 7, the Coast Guard received a report from the Palm Beach Princess regarding an engine casualty during the vessel’s transit from the Bahamas to the Port of Palm Beach. Once the vessel arrived at the Port of Palm Beach, it was met by ship surveyors from Det Norske Veritas, the organization that carries out vessel surveys and ensures the vessel's compliance with U.S. and international laws.
