A Connecticut-based ship management company has pleaded guilty to intentionally pumping over 10,000 gallons of “oily discharge” into waters near the mouth of the Mississippi River, then trying to cover up the incident, according to the Justice Department.
The department on Wednesday identified the company as Stamford, Connecticut-based Eagle Ship Management LLC and said it will be expected to pay a criminal fine of $1.75 million, if the courts approve the agreement. Eagle will also serve a four-year term of probation with external audits, subject to court approval.
The M/V Gannet Bulker, a foreign-flagged bulk carrier ship, was responsible for releasing the pollution in the 2021 incident. The chief engineer of this ship was prosecuted separately and sentenced to a year and one day in prison for “his role in the discharge of oil and obstructing justice,” according to the department.
“The Department of Justice vigorously prosecutes violations of the laws that protect U.S. ports and waters,” said acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The criminal conduct involved here was serious, including intentional pollution and a deliberate coverup.”
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Author: Marty Kaufmann
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