Ship manager fined, barred from U.S. ports

Ship manager fined, barred from U.S. ports    A Greek shipping company will pay a $2.7 million fine and is barred from having any vessels it owns or manages enter U.S. waters for the next three years under a plea agreement reached with the Justice Department.
   Polembros Shipping Ltd., a ship management company with a 20-vessel fleet, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in New Orleans for violating anti-pollution laws, ship safety laws, and making false statements during a U.S. Coast Guard investigation of the Theotokos, the Justice Department announced.
   The company will also make a separate $100,000 community service payment to the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, a subunit of Smithsonian Institute. The money will be used to research and mitigate the effects of marine invasive species suspected to be transported in ballast waters of oceangoing vessels.
   “This case is historic in that it is the first prosecution under the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act,” said Rear Adm. Mary E. Landry, commander of the Eighth Coast Guard District.
   Polembros pleaded guilty to:
   ' Violating two counts of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, for failing to maintain an accurate oil record book for Theotokos and for carrying fuel oil in a tank forward of the collision barrier.
   ' Violating the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act, by failing to maintain accurate ballast water records.
   ' Violating the Ports of Waterways Safety Act, by failing to report hazardous condition of the crack on the rudder stem of the ship.
   ' Making false statements by concealing the fact that fuel oil was leaking into the forepeak ballast tank.