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Vessel operator New Trade and Chief Engineer convicted for oily bilge water discharge offense

Under the terms of the plea agreement and subject to court approval, New Trade will pay a total fine of USD 1,100,000 and serve a four-year term of probation.
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New Trade Ship Management S.A. (New Trade), a vessel operating company, and vessel Chief Engineer Dennis Plasabas pleaded guilty on Tuesday (9 August) in San Diego, California, for maintaining false and incomplete records relating to the discharge of oily bilge water from the bulk carrier vessel Longshore, said the U.S. Department of Justice.

New Trade and Plasabas each pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships for failing to accurately maintain the Longshore’s oil record book. Under the terms of the plea agreement and subject to court approval, New Trade will pay a total fine of USD 1,100,000 and 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. Sentencing for the defendants is currently set for Nov. 18.

New Trade and Plasabas admitted that oily bilge water was illegally dumped from the Longshore 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. 

The defendants also admitted that these illegal discharges were not recorded in the vessel’s oil record book as required by law. 

Specifically, on two separate occasions between October and December 2021, Chief Engineer Plasabas, who was employed by New Trade, ordered lower-ranking crew members to use a portable pneumatic pump and hose to bypass pollution prevention equipment by transferring oily bilge water from the vessel’s bilge holding tank to the vessel’s sewage tank, from where it was discharged directly into the ocean.

Plasabas then failed to record these improper transfers and overboard discharges in the vessel’s oil record book. Additionally, in order to create a false and misleading electronic record as if the pollution prevention equipment had been properly used, Plasabas directed lower-ranking crew members to pump clean sea water into the vessel’s bilge holding tank in the same quantity as the amount of oily bilge water that he had ordered transferred to the sewage tank. Plasabas then processed the clean sea water through the vessel’s pollution prevention equipment as if it was oily bilge water in order to make it appear that the pollution prevention equipment was being properly used when in fact it was not. The electronic records indicate that approximately 9,600 gallons of clean sea water were run through the pollution prevention equipment.  

“This case demonstrates our commitment to investigating and prosecuting environmental crimes occurring at sea, no matter how wrongdoers may try to cover them up,” 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 polluters are held fully accountable.”   

“We are committed to protecting our environment from people who cause immeasurable harm with short cuts,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman for the Southern District of California. 

“This was a very calculated plan to violate the rules, and today the offenders are being held to account.” 

“This prosecution highlights the U.S Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Coast Guard’s dedication in safeguarding our oceans against those that seek to deliberately harm our natural resources,” said Captain James W. Spitler, Sector Commander of the Coast Guard Sector San Diego. 

“Illegal dumping of oil and falsification of oil record books are egregious violations. Today’s guilty plea should serve as a reminder that the Coast Guard and our partners at the Department of Justice will work tirelessly to hold accountable those that seek to deliberately discharge oil and falsify ship records.”

 

Photo credit: Marine Traffic / Bernard Delmont
Published: 11 August, 2022

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Business

Singapore: Hawksbill Shipping and related companies to be wound up voluntarily

Creditors are required on or before the 6 July to send in their names and addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to appointed liquidators, according to Government Gazette notices.

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Published

17 hours ago

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June 9, 2026

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steve pb from Pixabay

Several notices in the Government Gazette were published by the Director of Hawksbill Shipping Pte Ltd and related companies on Friday (5 June), regarding some resolutions that were passed in relation to the winding up of the companies. 

The other companies are Leatherback Shipping Pte Ltd and Matamata Shipping Pte Ltd.

The following resolutions were duly passed during an Extraordinary General Meeting for the companies on 29 May:

Special Resolutions

  1. That the Company be wound up as a Members’ Voluntary Liquidation pursuant to Section 160(1)(b) of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018.
  2. That the Liquidators may divide among the contributories in specie or kind the whole or any part of the assets of the Company.
  3. That the Liquidators be authorised to exercise any or all of the powers provided under Section 144(1)(b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018.

Ordinary Resolution

  1. That Lee Yi Ying, Marie and Khor Boon Hong care of Baker Tilly Consultancy (Singapore) Pte Ltd, 600 North Bridge Road, #05-01 Parkview Square, Singapore 188778, be appointed joint and several Liquidators for the purpose of such liquidation.

In another notice, the liquidators said creditors for the companies are required on or before the 6 July to send in their names and addresses and particulars of their debts or claims, and the names and addresses of their solicitors (if any) to the liquidators. 

The notice also applies to other companies including Posh Investment Holdings (Malaysia) Pte Ltd and Parang Shipping (2020) Pte Ltd. 

Liquidators may also require creditors to, “come in and prove their debts or claims at such time and place as shall be specified in such notice, or in default thereof they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such debts are proved.”

The liquidators can be contacted at the following address:

Marie Lee
Khor Boon Hong
Joint Liquidators
C/o Baker Tilly
600 North Bridge Road
#05-01 Parkview Square
Singapore 188778

 

Photo credit: steve pb from Pixabay
Published: 9 June, 2026

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Winding up

Singapore: Meetings of creditors, contributories scheduled for Da Shun Shipping Pte Ltd

Liquidator of the company will provide an update on the status of the liquidation of the company, according to Government Gazette notices.

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Published

17 hours ago

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June 9, 2026

By

RESIZED Drew Beamer

A meeting for creditors of Da Shun Shipping Pte Ltd , which is undergoing compulsory liquidation, has been scheduled to take place on 12 June, according to a Government Gazette notice on Friday (5 June). 

The meetings will be held by videoconference only at 2pm (Singapore time). 

In another notice, the liquidator of the company, Yit Chee Wah, said a meeting of the contributories will also be held by videoconference on 12 June at 3.30pm (Singapore time).

The agenda of the meetings will be as follow:

  • To provide an update on the status of the liquidation of the Company i.e. to consider a compromise or an arrangement amongst the creditors and contributories of the Company; and
  • Any other business.

Notes:

  1. Particulars of the claims of any creditors who wish to attend and vote at this meeting must be lodged with c/o FTI Consulting (Singapore) Pte Ltd, via email at [email protected] not later than 4:00 p.m. (Singapore time) on 11 June 2026. Secured creditors (unless they surrender their security) must give particulars, the date the security was received and its value if they wish to vote at the meeting.
  2. Proxies to be used at the meeting must be duly completed and lodged with c/o FTI Consulting (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. via email at [email protected] not later than 4:00 p.m. (Singapore time) on 11 June 2026.
  3. The meeting shall be held by videoconference only. Details of the videoconference will only be provided (via email) to those creditors who have registered their intent in attending the meeting.

 

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 9 June, 2026

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Winding up

Singapore: Notice of intended dividend issued for Xin Sheng Shipping Pte Ltd

Creditors of the companies will have to submit proof of debt to the liquidators of Xin Sheng Shipping by 22 June at 5 pm, according to Government Gazette notice.
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Published

17 hours ago

on

June 9, 2026

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RESIZED Jo_Johnston from Pixabay

A notice to declare the intended dividend of Xin Sheng Shipping to its creditors has been posted on the Government Gazette on Monday (8 June).

The following are the details of the notice of intended dividend:

Name of Company : Xin Sheng Shipping (Pte) Ltd (In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No. : 199004277D
Address of Registered Office : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960
Last Day for Receiving Proofs : 22 June 2026 at 5:00 pm by email to [email protected]
Name of Liquidators : Paresh Tribhovan Jotangia and Ho May Kee
Address : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960

 

Photo credit: Jo_Johnston from Pixabay
Published: 9 June, 2026

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