Legal

NKK vessel illegally discharges oily waste, fined $1 million

Nitta Kisen Kaisha engineers on board the Atlantic Oasis failed to document discharge from fuel purifiers.

Published

6 years ago

May 11, 2018

The United States Department of Justice Thursday issued a $1 million fine to Japanese shipping company Nitta Kisen Kaisha (NKK) for obstruction of justice and falsification of an Oil Record Book to cover-up intentional oil pollution from the firm’s owned and operated Atlantic Oasis.

NKK admitted that its engineers failed to document the illegal discharge of oily wastes from the vessel’s fuel and lubrication oil purifier systems, as well as discharges of oily bilge waste from the bilge holding tank and from the vessel’s bilges.

During a U.S. Coast Guard inspection of the vessel on May 17, 2017, a junior engineering crewmember provided information to the inspectors about how the oily wastes were being discharged by the order of Chief Engineer Jihnyun Youn, who had previously been convicted and sentenced for falsification of the vessel’s Oil Record Book.

The crewmember also showed U.S. Coast Guard inspectors where the hoses that were used for the discharges were hidden.

Chief Engineer Youn lied to the inspectors about the existence of a Sounding Log, which is typically used in the industry to record the fluid levels of various tanks in the engine room. By the end of the inspection, Chief Engineer Youn had admitted to ordering the illegal discharges and admitted that there was a Sounding Log.

Due to the development, NKK was ordered to pay a fine of $1,000,000; placed on probation for a period of three years; and further ordered to implement a court-approved comprehensive Environmental Compliance Plan as a special condition of probation, which will be audited throughout probation.

Chief Engineer Youn was placed on probation for one year and ordered to pay a fine of $5,500.00.

“This case demonstrates that those who pollute our oceans and deliberately mislead U.S. Coast Guard Officials will be brought to justice,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood.

“The Department of Justice will continue to work with our federal law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute criminals that harm the environment.”

Published: 10 May, 2018

Business

Liberia-flagged bulker “Eleen Armonia” placed under Sheriff’s arrest

Ship was added to list of vessels under Sheriff’s arrest in Singapore’s court system and it is currently held at Eastern Bunkering Anchorage; arrest was made on behalf of Allen & Gledhill LLP.

Published

4 days ago

December 7, 2023

Admin

Liberia-flagged bulk carrier Eleen Armonia was arrested in Singapore waters on Monday (4 December).

The 55,522 DWT vessel was added to the list of vessels under Sheriff’s arrest in Singapore’s court system.

According to the list, the vessel was arrested at 12.25pm and the arresting solicitor listed was law firm Allen & Gledhill LLP. The ship is currently held at the Eastern Bunkering Anchorage.

No details regarding the reason behind the arrest were provided in the list.

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 7 December, 2023

Crime

Malaysia: MMEA detains three vessels for illegal anchoring in East Johor waters

Vessels, including those registered in Barbados and Copenhagen, were detained on 4 December and captains of ships had failed to present any document of authorisation to anchor in Malaysian waters.

Published

5 days ago

December 6, 2023

Admin

Malaysia: MMEA detains three vessels for illegal anchoring in East Johor waters

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) on Tuesday (5 December) said three vessels have been detained for illegally anchoring in East Johor waters on 4 December.

MMEA Tanjung Sedili Zone acting director Maritime Cmdr Mohd Najib Sam said the first ship, registered in Port Klang, was detained by a patrol boat at 11.30 am at 19.8 nautical miles east of Tanjung Sedili Kechil.

The second ship, registered at Bridgetown in Barbados, anchored at 11.30am at 18.1 nautical miles northeast of Tanjung Penawar.

And the third ship, registered at Copenhagen, was detained by a MMEA patrol vessel at 5.30pm at 21.5 nautical miles east of Tanjung Balau.

Najib said all captains of the ships had failed to present any document of authorisation to anchor in Malaysian waters and the case will be investigated under Section 491B(1)(L) Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952.

He added that the detention of all three ships has brought the total number of ships detained for the same offence so far this year to 86.

Photo credit: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
Published: 6 December, 2023

Winding up

Singapore: Annual general meetings set for Hua Sheng Shipping Pte Ltd

Creditors to receive an update on the liquidation of the firms, and to receive an account of the liquidators’ acts and dealings, and of the conduct of winding up.

Published

1 week ago

December 4, 2023

Admin

An annual general meeting for Hua Sheng Shipping Pte Ltd will be held via electronic means on 14 December 2023, according to a notice on the Government Gazette on Thursday (30 November).

The agenda of the meetings for the creditors (2pm) and contributories (11am) for the following purposes:

To receive an update on the liquidation.
To receive an account of the Liquidators’ acts and dealings, and of the conduct of the winding up

The following are the details of the liquidator of the company:

Ho May Kee
Liquidator
c/o 8 Marina View
#40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1
Singapore 018960

Manifold Times previously reported several notices were published on the Goverment Gazette regarding the annual general meetings held electronically for Hua Sheng Shipping Pte Ltd, Nan Zhou Maritime (Pte) Ltd and Xin Sheng Shipping (Pte) Ltd.

Photo credit: Benjamin child
Published: 4 December, 2023