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Clipper Shipping fined USD 1.5 Million for oil record book offense

Clipper admitted oily bilge water was discharged from LPG tanker “M/T Clipper Saturn” and the discharges were omitted from the Oil Record Book, according to United States Department of Justice.

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Clipper Shipping A.S. was convicted of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships and sentenced to pay a fine of USD 1.5 million, according to the United States Department of Justice on Thursday (6 July). 

Clipper admitted that oily bilge water was discharged from the Motor Tanker (M/T) Clipper Saturn and the discharges were omitted from the Oil Record Book. 

On 27 September and 1 October 2021, while the M/T Clipper Saturn was anchored near Lome, Togo, the then-Chief Engineer directed that oily bilge water be transferred into the vessel’s gray water tank and then discharged directly overboard under the cover of darkness. In order to accomplish the discharge, the then-Chief Engineer ordered that a section of piping be removed and a hose installed onto the eductor system. 

This arrangement was used to discharge the gray water tank directly overboard. Personnel then re-installed and repainted the piping in the area in order to appear that none had been removed. During a Coast Guard inspection of the vessel in Houston, Texas, on 28 October 2021, authorities learned about the discharges.

“We take seriously the crimes of illegally discharging oily bilge water at sea and falsifying records to obstruct the United States’ ability to investigate those discharges,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. 

“The U.S. Coast Guard must be able to rely on truthful records on board ships and the Department of Justice will continue to ensure polluters are held fully accountable.”   

“Not only did this ship pollute waterways, but they tried to cover it up,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani of the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). 

“To put it simply, Clipper Saturn wanted to get rid of dirty oily water from their ship. Instead of filtering out the hazardous elements, as required, they decided to cut costs and just release the whole contaminated mess into the sea. Unfortunately for them, they got caught when they docked in Houston. The fine imposed today tells them that there is a bigger cost to endangering our citizens and the environment in which they live, and that the SDTX will seek to hold those who harm oceans and waterways accountable.”

“The Coast Guard is committed to protecting our oceans and waterways from those who deliberately jeopardize the well-being and safety of the environment and the public,” said Coast Guard Capt. Keith Donohue, Commander, Sector Houston-Galveston. 

“The intentional pollution of U.S. waters is a serious violation that we simply will not tolerate. We will continue to work with the Department of Justice and our federal, state, and local partners to hold accountable those who choose to endanger our natural resources.”

As part of the plea agreement, Clipper Shipping A.S. will implement an enhanced Environmental Compliance Plan (ECP) on nine vessels. The ECP requires independent auditing and monitoring of the vessels as well as imposing requirements to enhance the pollution prevention systems on the vessels.

 

Photo credit: MarineTraffic / Brian Kushner
Published: 12 July, 2023

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Emissions reporting

ZeroNorth and Veracity by DNV launch end-to-end emissions reporting, verification service

New offering combines ZeroNorth’s Vessel Reporting and Emissions Analytics platform with Veracity platform and DNV’s Emissions Connect verification services to deliver an end-to-end compliance solution.

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ZeroNorth and Veracity by DNV launch end-to-end emissions reporting, verification service

Maritime technology solutions provider ZeroNorth on Friday (16 May) said it has partnered with Veracity by DNV to launch a fully integrated emissions reporting and verification service for the maritime industry. 

Teekay is the first customer that will be implementing the service across its fleet, following successful testing and development.

As regulatory requirements tighten, ZeroNorth said maritime operators face growing demands for emissions transparency and reporting integrity. At the same time, poor data quality remains an industry-wide challenge. 

“The new offering combines ZeroNorth’s Vessel Reporting and Emissions Analytics platform with the Veracity platform and DNV’s Emissions Connect verification services to deliver an end-to-end compliance solution,” the company said in a statement. 

“The offering simplifies compliance by integrating automated data reporting with expert validation, reducing administrative burdens and improving data reliability.”

A key differentiator is the multi-layered data quality feedback loop, which ensures emissions data undergoes rigorous validation at multiple stages. Verification warnings from Veracity by DNV are automatically flagged to ZeroNorth’s data quality team, which then works directly with vessel crews to resolve discrepancies before final submission to authorities. 

This reduces compliance risks and enhances regulatory confidence while supporting continuous monitoring of EU MRV, IMO DCS, CII ratings, EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime compliance.

Teekay, a long-standing customer of ZeroNorth, participated in early testing of the solution and providing operational feedback. Since its successful implementation with Teekay, the service has been rolled out to two additional customers, and further deployments are underway.

Anders Schulze, Chief Operations Officer at ZeroNorth, said: “The maritime industry faces growing pressure to ensure emissions data is not just reported, but verified to the highest standards. Yet fragmented systems and manual processes continue to undermine data quality and increase compliance risk. 

“By combining ZeroNorth’s data and analytics capabilities with Veracity by DNV’s verification expertise, we are directly addressing this challenge. Our goal is to build trust in emissions data and reduce complexity for shipowners and charterers. We’re especially pleased that Teekay, a long-time partner, played a central role in shaping and validating the service.”

Mikkel Skou, Managing Director at Veracity by DNV, said: “At Veracity by DNV, the value of our ecosystem is built on strong partnerships, exemplified by our collaboration with ZeroNorth.

“By integrating trusted data and solutions like ZeroNorth’s Vessel Reporting and Emissions Analytics platform, we create a robust network that supports collaboration and drives sustainable growth in the maritime industry. 

“We look forward to continuing working towards our ambition to deliver trust and connectivity to the industry through this partnership with ZeroNorth.”

Mikkel Seidelin, Chief Commercial Officer at Teekay, said: “Partnering with ZeroNorth improves our ability to navigate complexities seamlessly, leveraging on data and technology to optimise our performance and reduce inefficiencies.

“When we are equipped with verified, end-to-end data, it empowers us as owners towards seamless decision-making, resulting in real sustainable and operational target-achievements.”

 

Photo credit: ZeroNorth
Published: 16 May, 2025

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LNG Bunkering

Singapore: FueLNG achieves 400th LNG bunkering operation milestone

Bunker tanker “FueLNG Bellina” successfully delivered LNG bunker fuel to “BYD Shenzhen”, the world’s largest LNG-fuelled car carrier at Singapore anchorage during its maiden voyage.

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Singapore: FueLNG achieves 400th LNG bunkering operation milestone

Singapore’s licensed LNG bunker supplier FueLNG on Thursday (15 May) announced the successful completion of its 400th LNG ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering operation in the republic.

FueLNG, a joint venture between Keppel Offshore & Marine and Shell Eastern Petroleum Pte Ltd, marked the milestone with bunker tanker FueLNG Bellina successfully refuelling BYD Shenzhen, the world’s largest LNG-fuelled car carrier, at Singapore anchorage during its maiden voyage.

“With a capacity of 9,200 vehicles and equipped with dual-fuel LNG propulsion, the BYD SHENZHEN represents the next generation of low-emission maritime transport,” it said in a social media post. 

Shell said it supported BYD Shenzhen on its maiden voyage as the supplier of the LNG bunker fuel. 

“Like all LNG dual fuel vessels, BYD Shenzhen is on the pathway to net zero emissions. She can take bio-LNG, and in the future e-LNG, in her fuel mix for further emission reduction and regulatory compliance,” it said in a separate social media post. 

 

Photo credit: Shell
Published: 16 May, 2025

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Biofuel

Hong Kong: CPN hits new record for China’s largest B24 biofuel bunkering operation

Chimbusco Pan Nation delivered 6,300 mt of B24-VLSFO in Hong Kong to boxship “XIN LOS ANGELES” on 15 May, exceeding its previous record of 5,500 mt delivered in February 2025.

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Hong Kong: CPN hits new record for China's largest B24 biofuel bunkering operation

Hong Kong-based bunker supplier Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical (CPN) on Friday (16 May) said it has set a record for China’s largest B24 marine biofuel bunkering operation.

CPN said it delivered 6,300 metric tonnes (mt) of B24-VLSFO in Hong Kong to container ship XIN LOS ANGELES on 15 May. 

The supply exceeded CPN’s previous record of 5,500 mt delivered to the same ship in February 2025.

“This collaboration reinforces CPN’s ability to execute large-scale marine biofuel bunkering with precision and reliability,” the company said in a social media post.

“By consistently supplying large volumes of B24 marine biofuel, CPN supports reduced carbon emissions and sustainable shipping practices globally.”

Related: CPN achieves largest B24 bio bunker fuel delivery in Hong Kong and China

 

Photo credit: Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical
Published: 16 May, 2025

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