Greek Shipping Companies Fined for Illegal Ocean Pollution and Record Falsification

Avin International and Kriti Ruby Special Maritime Enterprises plead guilty to discharging oily waste, falsifying records, and obstructing justice near U.S. ports.

• The oil tanker Kriti Ruby illegally discharged oily bilge water into the ocean near Jacksonville, Florida, and Newark, New Jersey, in 2022, bypassing pollution prevention equipment.
• Crew members concealed the pollution by falsifying records and hiding equipment used in the illegal discharges in a sealed void space called a 'cofferdam.'
• The companies were fined $3.375 million and ordered to pay an additional $1.25 million to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation as part of their sentence.
• Both companies will serve five years of probation under environmental compliance plans monitored to ensure adherence to pollution laws.
• Two crew members, including the former chief engineer, received sentences of time served and financial penalties for their roles in the scheme.

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