Polembros barred from US
ALL 20 vessels managed by Greece’s Polembros Shipping will be barred from the US until late 2012 as part of its guilty pleas today on environmental charges.
The Polembros case stems from violations involving the bulker Theotokos in September 2008. The company will pay a $2.7M fine plus a $100,000 community service payment for invasive species research.
The barring of all calls during a three-year probation is meant to “prevent the company from participating in economic activity that takes place in territorial ports and waterways of the US", asserted John Cruden of the US Department of Justice's environmental division.
He warned the entire shipping industry to “take heed”.
Polembros Shipping pleaded guilty today to two counts of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (for an inaccurate oil record book and carrying fuel oil in a tank forward of the collision barrier); violating the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention & Control Act (for failing to maintain accurate ballast water records); violating the Ports and Waterways Safety Act (for failing to report a cracked rudder stem); and making false statements (by concealing a fuel oil leak into the forepeak ballast tank).
The Theotokos's master, chief officer and chief engineer have previously entered guilty pleas in the case.