German companies indicted for falsification of pollution records

German ship management company MST Mineralien Schiffarht Spedition Und Transport GmbH (MST) and vessel’s owner Reederei MS “Marguerita” GmbH & Co. Geschlossene Investment KG (Reederei) were charged with failing to keep accurate pollution control records and falsifying records, the US Department of Justice announced.

As informed, the charges stem from the falsification of records in 2016 and 2017 designed to cover up overboard discharges of oily mixtures and machinery space bilge water from the Liberian-flagged cargo vessel, M/V Marguerita.

On at least eight occasions between September 2016 and June 2016, the M/V Marguerita entered US waters and ports with a false and misleading Oil Record Book available for inspection by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Oil Record Book failed to accurately record transfers and discharges of oily wastewater on the vessel.

The companies are charged with failing to maintain an accurate oil record book as required by the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, a U.S. law which implements the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). The companies were also charged with falsification of records with the intent to impede, obstruct, or influence inspections and examinations of the M/V Marguerita by the U.S. Coast Guard.

The case was investigated by the US Coast Guard Investigative Service.