2nd offence: Italian LNG tanker fined US$2.75 million for dumping oily bilge

GENOA vessel operator Carbofin SpA has been fined US$2.75 million for falsifying the oil record book for its ship, the 17,150-dwt LNG tanker Marigola, an offence under American pollution law, theUSJustice Department announced.

Some $600,000 will go to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation as a donation to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Between 2013 and 2014 disposed of sludge, waste oil and oily bilge water into the sea, bypassing cumbersome pollution filtration gear, reported American Shipper.

Two oilers informed inspecting US Coast Guard personnel when they boarded the Italian-flagged LNG tanker during an unrelated inspection in April last year.

Chief engineer Carmelo Giano and second engineer Alessandro Messore had previously pleaded guilty inUScourt and were sentenced for committing the same offence from the same ship.