Pratik Bijlani – Greek shipping company Eurobulk Ltd. has been sentenced for violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and falsifying records, marking the latest development in U.S. efforts to enforce maritime pollution laws. The violations occurred during an April 2023 port call in Corpus Christi, Texas, involving the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Good Heart (63,000 dwt).
The charges stemmed from a whistleblower’s report to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) during a Port State inspection on April 23, 2023. The investigation revealed that Christos Charitos, the vessel’s chief engineer, ordered crew members to discharge oily bilge water overboard using the vessel’s duct keel without utilizing the required oily water separator. To conceal the illegal discharges, the crew falsified entries in the oil record book and tampered with the oil content meter by flushing it with fresh water.
Charitos, 72, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to obstruction, falsification of records, and manipulating pollution prevention equipment. He was fined $2,000 and sentenced to a one-year term of unsupervised probation.
Eurobulk admitted its culpability in January 2025, pleading guilty to violating APPS and falsifying records. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered the company to pay a $1.125 million fine and a $375,000 community service payment to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Additionally, Eurobulk must serve a four-year probation period under an environmental compliance plan overseen by a monitor.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei highlighted the case as part of ongoing efforts to hold maritime operators accountable for environmental violations. This case underscores the critical role of whistleblowers in uncovering illegal practices and ensuring compliance with international and U.S. environmental standards.
Marex Media