OMI Corp. says crewmember alleges MARPOL violation

OMI Corp. says crewmember alleges MARPOL violation

   OMI Corp., an owner and operator of crude oil tankers and product carriers, said a crew member on one of its ships recently made “an allegation of a MARPOL violation,” referring to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL 73, 78).

   Fredric S. London, a spokesman for OMI Corp., based in Stamford, Conn., declined to name the ship, its whereabouts, or the specific time the allegation was made.

   “All I can say is that the vessel was not in anyone’s territorial waters,” London told Shippers’ News Wire.

   In January, 'OMI pleaded guilty to a violation of regulations promulgated under the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, pursuant to an agreement with the Department of Justice for the company to pay a $4.2 million fine and serve a probationary period of three years, and is awaiting sentencing for that violation,” OMI said in a statement.

   OMI said further that it was “unable at this time to determine whether sentencing for the first violation will be affected by the reported incident, whether there will be additional charges, or whether additional costs and fines, if any, will be material.”