Over objections from the US government, the three seafarers who exposed illegal discharge from an MST Mineralien Schiffahrt Spedition und Transport ship in 2017 will receive whistleblower awards.
Jaroslav Hornof, the Czech third engineer onboard the 27,700-dwt Marguerita (built 2016), was given $225,000 this week after documenting and reporting a scheme to bypass pollution prevention equipment to release oily bilge water into the open ocean.
His actions lead to a $3.2m fine against MST.
Damir Kordic and Lukas Zak, who aided Hornof, were awarded $12,500 each.
"Mr. Hornof is responsible for stopping the pollution and for providing the evidence that ensured MST's conviction," wrote Maine federal court judge Nancy Torresen.
"He endangered himself and jeopardized his career by reporting this scheme, and he and his family experienced significant hardship when he was required to stay in the United States to assist the Government for over two months during a period when he was needed at home in the Czech Republic."
In January, the federal government argued against whistleblower awards for the trio, who worked on the Marguerita when it was arrested in Portland, Maine over discharge allegations.
They said Hornof was disqualified because he informed MST, rather than the Coast Guard directly, and they alleged he refused to commit to serving as a witness.
Hornof took photos and videos of the system and notified MST, which self-reported.
The government said Kordic, a Slovak, and Zak, a Croatian, had participated in the discharges.
The seafarer's attorney, Ed MacColl of Thompson, MacColl and Bass, argued in court papers the government only had a case because of the three men — who were held in the US while the government prosecuted the case.
MacColl did not return requests for comment, but wrote in court papers that Hornof, Kordic and Zak are "good, honourable, honest seafarers."
"The government had 'no case' without Mr Hornof," he wrote. "[Zak and Kordic] provided information for Mr Hornof's investigation and all subsequent investigations, knowing the truth might cost them their liberty, their MST jobs and their careers."
