GREEN SKY

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Two engineers of tanker convicted of illegal discharge of oily bilge water

A federal jury in Charleston, South Carolina, convicted two chief engineers of the "Green Sky" of falsifying documents in order to conceal illegal discharges of oily bilge waste, so called 'magic pipe incidents', and obstruction charges. Herbert Julian, who served as Chief Engineer between Aug 3 and Sep 4, 2015, was convicted of two felony counts under the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and for obstruction of justice. Panagiotis Koutoukakis, Chief Engineer from Feb 1 to Aug 3, 2015, was convicted of two felony counts, one for APPS and another for falsifying records. It was also revealed in court documents, which were unsealed after the verdicts were rendered, that the Aegean Shipping Management, a foreign company with operations in Greece that acted as the Green Sky’s operator, previously pleaded guilty to a violation of the APPS and obstruction of justice. The "Green Sky", which first set sail in July 2014, had unusual internal leaks that produced greater quantities of oily waste than a normal ship of its age and construction. Oily bilge waste must be removed from the vessel lest it fill up the bottom of the Engine Room and cause damage to equipment and jeopardise the safe handling of the ship. However, the law does not permit an oceangoing vessel to discharge these oily wastes directly into the sea and the use of an oily water separator is an essential. The evidence presented to the jury showed that the "Green Sky" was regularly pumping contaminated and oily water directly overboard. None of these discharges were disclosed as required. The oil record book of the Green Sky was falsified to cover-up illegal overboard discharges of oily wastes from February to August 2015. Methods of falsification included omitting illegal bypass operations, claiming that the oil water separator was used when it had not been, and a series of false entries regarding the levels of the bilge holding tank, which were designed to further the cover-up. Full report: http://www.handyshippingguide.com/shipping-news/Two%20More%20Convictions%20for%20Flag%20of%20Convenience%20Merchant%20Ship%20Officers%20on%20Pollution%20Charges_7803

Greek tanker crewman denied permission to leave S.C. over extradition worries in pollution case

A Greek national who has been detained in South Carolina for more than six months will not be allowed to travel to his home country while he awaits trial on charges that he violated pollution laws as the chief engineer on a chemical tanker. Magistrate Judge Bristow Marchant on Tuesday denied a motion to amend bond conditions for Panagiotis Koutoukakis, who faces three felony charges and up to 25 years in prison for his alleged role in a conspiracy to falsify records and cover up illegal pollution discharges while the tanker Green Sky was at sea. The falsified records were discovered last year while the tanker was docked at the Port of Charleston, according to court documents. Koutoukakis is free on an unsecured $25,000 bond but is not allowed to leave South Carolina. He and four other defendants were arraigned on the charges Tuesday in federal court in Charleston. All of the defendants pleaded not guilty and no trial date has been set. Koutoukakis was taken into custody on Jan. 14 as a material witness in the case and the federal government had been paying his expenses until he was formally charged last month. Koutoukakis, in court documents, said the government essentially forced him into homelessness and put his family at financial risk by not allowing him to return to Greece. The Charleston Port & Seafarers Society, a charitable organization, recently has been helping Koutoukakis with his expenses and medical needs. http://www.postandcourier.com/20160726/160729525/greek-tanker-crewman-denied-permission-to-leave-sc-over-extradition-worries-in-pollution-case

Liberia shipping company indicted in U.S. environmental conspiracy

A U.S. federal grand jury in Charleston indicted a Liberia shipping company, a corporate vessel owner and three engineering officers on Friday in connection with a longstanding environmental conspiracy investigation dating back to last August. The charges relate to an August, 2015 case when a Liberian-flagged chemical tanker, the T/V Green Sky, entered the Port of North Charleston on the eastern coast of South Carolina. At the time, members of the vessel allegedly told U.S. Coast Guard officials that they had been ordered to bypass the ship's oil water separator on several occasions. The API separator is a device that is designated to break apart oil and other suspended solids from wastewater to help remove detrimental chemical compounds in the case of an oil spill. According to court filings, Aegean Shipping Management of Liberia, the ship's management company and the engineering officers aboard the vessel, violated international laws by illegally discharging oil and space bilge water from the tanker. As parties to the MARPOL treaty, vessels in the U.S. and Liberia are required to record all discharges in their ship's oil book. On Friday, the shipping company and the officers were charged with obstruction, conspiracy and falsifying records by providing inaccurate information in the oil book. http://www.investing.com/news/general-news/liberia-shipping-company-indicted-in-u.s.-environmental-conspiracy-414744