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Vessel Operator, Captain and Chief Engineer plead guilty to illegal oil discharge

Zeus Lines Management pleaded guilty to maintaining false and incomplete records relating to the discharge of oily bilge and for failing to report a hazardous condition on board “Galissas”.

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Zeus Lines Management S.A. (Zeus), a vessel operating company, pleaded guilty on 1 May in Providence, Rhode Island, to maintaining false and incomplete records relating to the discharge of oily bilge and for failing to report a hazardous condition on board the oil tanker Galissas, according to the United States Department of Justice on Wednesday (3 May). 

The company’s chief engineer, Roberto Cayabyab Penaflor, and Captain Jose Ervin Mahigne Porquez also pleaded guilty today for their roles in those crimes. The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on 8 August.

According to court documents, Zeus and Penaflor admitted that oily bilge water was illegally dumped from the Galissas directly into the ocean without being properly processed through required pollution prevention equipment. Oily bilge water typically contains oil contamination from the operation and cleaning of machinery on the vessel. They also admitted that these illegal discharges were not recorded in the vessel’s oil record book as required by law.

Specifically, on three separate occasions between November 2021 and February 2022, Penaflor ordered crew members working for him in the engine room to discharge a total of approximately 9,544 gallons of oily bilge water from the vessel’s bilge holding tank directly into the ocean using the vessel’s emergency fire pump, bypassing the vessel’s required pollution prevention equipment. In addition, in preparation for the U.S. Coast Guard’s inspection of the Galissas, Penaflor instructed crew members on several occasions to not tell the Coast Guard about bypassing the pollution prevention equipment resulting in illegal discharges.

“This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the health and safety of the marine environment, and to safeguarding coastal communities against hazardous conditions,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work with our partner agencies to ensure those who pollute and endanger our coastal communities are held fully accountable.”

“A critical mission of this office is protecting our environment from pollution and polluters, whether they impact our neighbourhoods or precious natural resources like the Narragansett Bay, one of the crown jewels of Rhode Island,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha for the District of Rhode Island. “In this case, a foreign company decided it could ignore its obligation under American law, putting our waters and coastal communities at risk. Today’s guilty pleas are a reminder that this office will enforce our environmental laws to hold violators – individuals and corporate – accountable and protect our vital natural resources and our citizenry.”

“This case demonstrates the U.S. government’s resolve to ensure the safety of life at sea and protect our ports from rogue and negligent actors,” said Rear Admiral John Mauger, Commander of the First Coast Guard District. “Every day, thousands of ships safely call on U.S. ports and handle nearly 95% of U.S. trade that drives our economy and provides for our national security. By sailing into a major U.S. port with a known faulty inert gas generator, the operator, and senior officers of the Galissas endangered not only their shipmates but also the people of Rhode Island. The Coast Guard will continue to train and deploy our vessel examiners to protect mariners and our nation's ports by deterring and detecting unsafe and illegal activity. We appreciate the strong resolve from the Justice Department in holding these rogue actors accountable.

In addition to the illegal discharges of oily bilge water, on 2 February, 2022, while the Galissas was conducting cargo operations in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, crew members became aware that the vessel’s inert gas system was inoperable. This system is necessary to ensure that oxygen levels within the vessel’s cargo tanks remain at safe levels – at or below 8% – and do not pose a hazardous condition that could lead to an explosion or fire. Rather than remaining in Rotterdam until the inert gas system could be repaired, shore side management of Zeus and Captain Porquez determined that the vessel should instead sail to the United States, where a spare part would be delivered upon the vessel’s arrival for the crew to repair the system.

On 11 February, 2022, while the Galissas was transiting the Atlantic Ocean from the Netherlands to the United States, Porquez submitted a required notice of arrival to the U.S. Coast Guard informing the Coast Guard of, among other things, the vessel’s last port of call, planned arrival in the United States and the type of cargo onboard the vessel. In this notice of arrival, Porquez did not report that a hazardous condition existed onboard the vessel (the inoperable inert gas system). 

On 19 February, 2022, the Galissas arrived off the coast of Rhode Island and although the vessel’s crew received and installed the spare part, the inert gas system remained inoperable. The following day, the U.S. Coast Guard measured the oxygen levels within the vessel’s cargo tanks and found levels ranged between 15 and 17%, well beyond the maximum allowable 8%. The Coast Guard then ordered that the vessel be moved further offshore so as to not endanger the port of Newport, Rhode Island.

Porquez had a logbook created that indicated the cargo tanks were at safe oxygen levels when the vessel left the Netherlands and remained at safe levels during the majority of the vessel’s transit of the Atlantic Ocean. In reality, the crew had not taken any readings of the oxygen levels in the cargo tanks during the vessel’s voyage. Porquez had tasked the vessel’s chief officer with creating this fraudulent logbook that was then presented to the U.S. Coast Guard during its inspection.

Zeus and Penaflor each pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships for failing to accurately maintain the oil record book for the Galissas. Zeus and Porquez also pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Ports and Waterways Safety Act for failing to report the vessel’s hazardous condition to the U.S. Coast Guard. 

Under the terms of the plea agreement Zeus will pay a total monetary penalty of USD 2.25 million, consisting of a fine of USD 1,687,500 and a community service payment of USD 562,500. The community service payment will go to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to fund projects to benefit marine and coastal natural resources located in the State of Rhode Island. Additionally, Zeus will serve a four-year term of probation, during which any vessels operated by the company and calling on U.S. ports will be required to implement a robust environmental compliance plan.

The U.S. Coast Guard Southeastern New England Sector and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service are investigating the case.

 

Photo credit: Bill Oxford
Published: 5 May, 2023

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FuelEU

FincoEnergies launches pooling service for FuelEU Maritime compliance

FuelEU Pooling service enables undercompliant vessels to meet their compliance targets by pooling with vessels running on GoodFuels sustainable bio bunker fuels.

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GoodFuels biofuel supplier FincoEnergies on Wednesday (16 April) announced the launch of its FuelEU Pooling service, created to enable shipowners to meet FuelEU Maritime compliance in a cost-effective way.

FuelEU Maritime, effective from 1 January 2025, mandates the reduction of greenhouse gas intensity of energy used on board ships trading in the EU. For many operators, particularly those with limited access to low-carbon fuels, compliance can be both complex and costly.

Designed for shipowners, operators, charterers, and technical managers, FincoEnergies’ FuelEU Pooling service enables undercompliant vessels to meet their compliance targets by pooling with vessels running on GoodFuels sustainable biofuels, when these vessels are overcompliant and have ‘Surplus’ emission reduction available for allocation.

FincoEnergies also partnered with Lloyd’s Register (LR), who supported the development of the service. Their technical expertise has enabled shaping a solution that aligns with both regulatory requirements and FincoEnergies' established position as a biofuel supplier in the fuel supply chain.

“FuelEU Maritime represents one of the most important regulatory shifts for the shipping industry in decades,” said Alberto Perez, Global Head, Maritime Commercial Markets at LR. “By integrating technical expertise with strategic guidance, we ensure shipowners, operators, and suppliers not only comply with evolving emissions standards, but also proactively transform their operations, embracing new technologies and alternative fuels to ensure a sustainable and profitable future.”

“With a decade of experience in biofuel bunkers and carbon certificate trading in the voluntary market, we are excited to expand our creative and solution-oriented product portfolio with FuelEU Pooling,” said Johannes Schurmann, Commercial Director International Marine at FincoEnergies. 

“Thanks to our physical presence in the supply chain, shipping companies looking for FuelEU surplus can confidently rely on us as a trusted partner in their decarbonisation journey.”

Through its role as Pool Organiser, FincoEnergies streamlines the entire pooling process – from performing biofuel bunkers and prefinancing Surplus, to Surplus allocation and pool verification. With cost-effective pricing, FuelEU Pooling provides shipping companies with a competitive alternative for changing their fuel mix themselves.

 

Photo credit: FincoEnergies
Published: 21 April, 2025

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ECA

PO/Marine launches supply of MED ECA-compliant ULSFO bunker fuel

In preparation of the upcoming Mediterranean Emission Control Area regulation, PO/Marine successfully delivered its first supply of ULSFO with 0.10% sulphur content on 15 April.

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Aydın Yıldız, Head of Marine Sales at Petrol Ofisi Group

Petrol Ofisi’s bunkering arm PO/Marine on Thursday (17 April) said it has completed the bunkering operation of ULSFO—a marine fuel with 0.10% sulphur content—in alignment with the upcoming Mediterranean Emission Control Area (MED ECA) regulation. 

Under the new regulation, all vessels operating within the Mediterranean must use low-sulphur marine fuels.

Effective 1 May 2025, the Mediterranean will officially be designated as an Emission Control Area (MED ECA), prohibiting the use of marine fuels with sulphur content exceeding 0.10%. 

In preparation for this regulatory transition, PO/Marine successfully delivered its first supply of ULSFO (Ultra Low Sulphur Fuel Oil) with 0.10% sulphur content on 15 April.

PO/Marine launches supply of MED ECA-compliant ULSFO bunker fuel

Aydın Yıldız, Senior Maritime Manager at Petrol Ofisi Group, said: “Our leadership in the maritime fuel sector is defined not only by our market share but also by the innovative steps we take to shape the industry. 

“Successfully completing the supply of marine fuel with 0.10% sulphur content in alignment with the MED ECA transition in Türkiye is a concrete reflection of this. We previously led the way with the country’s first VLSFO bunkering operation, setting a precedent in our sector. 

“With our ULSFO bunkering, we have once again demonstrated that we are setting the standard in Türkiye’s marine fuel landscape. The designation of the Mediterranean as an Emission Control Area is not only a regional development but a historic turning point for global maritime operations.”

 

Photo credit: PO/Marine
Published: 21 April, 2025

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Bunker Fuel

Oilmar completes first ULSFO bunker fuel delivery in Türkiye

Company announced the successful completion of its first ULSFO 0.1% Sulphur delivery in Istanbul and is now offering the marine fuel in several key locations including Istanbul Anchorage and Marmara Sea.

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UAE-based marine fuel and petroleum products trader Oilmar DMCC on Friday (18 April) announced the successful completion of its first ULSFO 0.1% Sulphur delivery in Istanbul, marking one of the very first trades of its kind in the country.

“With this milestone, Oilmar proudly steps forward as one of Türkiye’s pioneering trading companies in ULSFO 0.1% Sulphur fuel,” it said in a social media post. 

Oilmar is now offering ULSFO 0.1% across key locations:

  • Istanbul Anchorage
  • Marmara Sea
  • Gulf of Derince
  • Bozcaada Anchorage
  • Southern Türkiye Ports

In addition, High Sulphur Fuel Oil (HSFO), Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), Ultra-Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (ULSFO), and Low Sulphur Marine Gasoil (LSMGO) are available at all ports across Türkiye.

 

Photo credit: Dima Rogachevskiy on Unsplash
Published: 21 April, 2025

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