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German ship operator pleads guilty to environmental violations
The German operator of a ship that was detained on Lake Superior outside Duluth last year pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis to covering up environmental violations. MST Mineralien Schiffahrt admitted that on at least 10 occasions last year — from February to October 2015 — crew members on the M/V Cornelia illegally dumped oil-contaminated waste water overboard. They then failed to record those discharges in the ship's Oil Record Book, according to the charges brought by the U.S. Attorney's Office for Minnesota. That gave the false impression that the polluted water had been properly handled and disposed. At least one of those discharges occurred in the Great Lakes. MST will be required to pay an $800,000 fine to the United States. The company will also make a $200,000 community service payment to help preserve the watershed of Lake Superior, and serve three years probation. http://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/07/05/duluth-stranded-saltie-guilty-plea-environmental-violation
MST Mineralien Schiffahrt charged for polluting US waters
The U.S. Attorney's Office for Minnesota has charged a owner of the "Cornelia" with illegally discharging polluted water into the Great Lakes and then presenting falsified records of the activity to the U.S. Coast Guard. The accusations are laid out in a 10-page indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis on May 11, 2016. The "Cornelia" and its 19 crew members sat at anchor outside the Duluth harbor for more than a month late in 2015 while the attorney's office investigated the ship for what at the time was described only as a discharge of oily water. The ship was finally allowed to leave on Dec 18 so it could exit the Great Lakes before canals were closed for the winter. The indictment from U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger accused the ship's German owner, MST Mineralien Schiffahrt, of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships. According to the court filing, the "Cornelia" experienced significant leakages of oily waste-water from its engines and illegally discharged the dirty water overboard on at least 10 occasions, including at least once in the Great Lakes. The company was also accused of not recording those discharges in the ship's "Oil Record Book, which according to the indictment gave the false and misleading impression that all of the machinery space bilge water on the Cornelia had been properly handled and disposed.
Ship Leaves After Being Anchored for Over Six Weeks (Video)
After weeks of being stuck in the port, the German ship Cornelia has finally sailed. The Cornelia had been anchored off shore from Duluth for over 6 weeks while being investigated for alleged violations of U.S Environmental Regulations related to the discharge of oily water. "A lot of players, a lot of personnel multiple countries had to participate in the investigation so it took an awfully long time," said Adele Yorde, the Public Relations Director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. Where the alleged discharge occurred has not been reported, but according to the Duluth Seaway Port of Authority, it was not in the Twin Ports "They reached an agreement with the owner operators to be able to release the vessel so it could continue on its’ way out the great lakes St. Lawrence seaway, while they are wrapping up the final details of the investigation," said Yorde. In the past ships have sat at anchor for a few days, but the length of time that the Cornelia had been anchored was unusual. The port of Authority says they received over a hundred calls regarding the ship. "It was really heartwarming to hear calls from just the general public, can I bake Christmas cookies? Can I deliver fruit and vegetables, what do they need? And I had to remind everybody that these are international vessels, the mariners are accustomed to being at sea," said Yorde. The Cornelia came back in to the dock to refuel and re-stock their food supply before leaving. Report with Video http://www.fox21online.com/news/local-news/German-Ship-Cornelia-Leaves-the-Twin-Ports/37037736
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