V.Ships pleaded guilty yesterday in a Texas court for violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships and was sentenced to pay a $2 million fine. V.Ships admitted that oily bilge water and oily waste were discharged from the Swift Winchester, a chemical tanker, and the discharges were omitted from the oil record book.
Between February 2022 and August 2022, a hose was connected between the incinerator waste oil tank and the sewage holding tank on the Swift Winchester. This allowed oily waste to be transferred to the sewage holding tank and then discharged directly into the sea, bypassing the required pollution prevention equipment. A low-ranking engine room crew member reported this to a superintendent at V.Ships. The superintendent investigated the matter and discovered what appeared to be oil in the sewage tank. V.Ships dismissed the chief engineer. In August 2022, the new chief engineer ordered the engine room crew to clean the oily water separator (OWS) filter. The engine room crew took the filter to the deck and cleaned it with a degreaser, and the oily waste was washed directly overboard through a scupper.
Members of the Port Arthur Coast Guard conducted an examination, during which an engine room crew member revealed the discharges and provided photographic and video evidence documenting the illegal discharges.
“Dumping waste contaminated with oil into the waters around our ports and coasts violates the law and poses an unnecessary health and environmental danger,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The crew went to great lengths to conceal their illegal activity by knowingly maintaining inaccurate records. We will not turn a blind eye to this type of irresponsible and fraudulent activity.”
Starting with the Informa group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine, as well as East Asia editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued an independent career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times, and the International Herald Tribune.
August 28, 2025
August 28, 2025
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