GMM Safety | 2024-05-15 | Case Incidents |

Konstantinos Atsalis and Sonny Bosito, two engineers who pleaded guilty to dumping oily waste into the sea near a petroleum facility in Sewaren, New Jersey, are now facing federal prosecution.

During the violations, Atsalis, the chief engineer, and Bosito, the second engineer, were on board the Kriti Ruby, a Greek-owned and registered product tanker.

According to sources, the actions took place over several months in 2022 however, the exact dates were not revealed by the US Coast Guard or the US Attorney’s Office.

Similarly, Bosito agreed to hide the discharge of oily waste by giving the US Coast Guard incorrect information and instructing crew members to hide equipment during inspections.

The Kriti Ruby had past issues with the United States Coast Guard, with faults discovered during a 2022 enhanced examination in New York, resulting in a seven-day detention.

Chief Engineer Konstantinos Atsalis, 56, pleaded guilty to two counts of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS).

Atsalis admitted that the vessel’s crew had knowingly bypassed required pollution prevention equipment by discharging oily waste from the vessel’s engine room through its sewage system into the sea, including near a petroleum offloading facility in Sewaren.

Atsalis also admitted that he falsified the vessel’s oil record book (ORB) – a required log regularly inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard – by failing to record this illegal activity. Atsalis further admitted that he directed crew members to hide equipment used to conduct transfers of oily waste from the engine room bilge wells to the sewage tank before the Coast Guard boarded the vessel.

Second Engineer Sonny Bosito, 54, also pleaded guilty to violating APPS, admitting to concealing the discharge of oily waste into the sea through the vessel’s sewage system by causing a false ORB to be presented to the U.S. Coast Guard during its inspection of the vessel. Bosito further admitted to directing crew members to hide equipment used to conduct transfers from the bilge wells to the sewage tank before the Coast Guard’s inspection.

Atsalis, 57, and Bosito, 54, each face up to six years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The sentencing date is set for October 22.

The case emphasizes the need to adhere to environmental standards in maritime activities.

The Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) provides stringent penalties for violations to protect marine ecosystems and coastal areas from pollution.

This incident also coincides with a rise in detentions during Port State inspections, as reported in the US Coast Guard’s annual inspections report.

While the exact reasons for the increase are unknown, authorities believe it could be influenced by the pandemic’s impact on inspection procedures.

Reference: Daily News