Two Greek companies and three crew members have been convicted on charges they violated US Caribbean emissions control area regulations 26 times over 18 months.
Ionian Shipping & Trading and Lily Shipping will pay $1.5m each while Stamatios Alekidis, Anthanasios Pittas and Rey Espulgar will serve three years probation after the 8,016-dwt Ocean Princess (built 2003) repeatedly burned high sulphur fuel in the waters off the US Virgin Islands between January 2017 and July 2018.
The three seafarers are barred from entering the US on a ship during their probation and Espulgar was fined $3,000.
"These convictions underscore our commitment to holding violators accountable while defending precious natural resources," said Gretchen Shappert, US attorney for the Virgin Islands.
"I am deeply grateful for the way that the federal partners worked together during this investigation to ensure that justice is served."
According to the US Justice Department, the Ocean Princess transported petroleum products around the Caribbean. The ship's commercial manager authorized cargo to be transferred into fuel tanks, with master Alekidis, chief officer Espulgar and chief engineer Pittas working together to make the transfers.
The sulphur content for fuel in the US Caribbean emissions control area is capped at 0.10%.
Espulgar and Pittas also falsified oil record books and Pittas created 19 fake bulker delivery notes.
The Coast Guard conducted an inspection on 10 July, 2018 when it discovered the high sulphur fuel. Espulgar also instructed crewmembers to lie to the Coast Guard about where the fuel came from.
Ionian's attorney, Briton Sparkman, did not immediately return requests for comment.
