Two Greek shipping companies have been fined US$1.5 million for their part in a pollution cover up, according to reports.
The two companies, Gallia Graeca LTD and Angelakos (Hellas) SA, were charged by a jury in federal court for deliberately pumping oil-polluted water into the sea and then falsifying records to cover it up to pass inspections.
It was discovered that approximately 5,000 gallons of bilde water had been fed into the ocean tainted with oil, but records had been falsified and false demonstrations of oil-water separators hid the crime from authorities.
This conviction is considered a victory for those who aim to provide better transparency and more accountability to corporations.
This news comes amidst controversy in the shipping industry over the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) bid to reduce sulphur emissions, which Bimco warns could result in a marine fuel shortage.
The Clean Arctic Alliance is also campaigning for an end to heavy oil usage in the Arctic region due to the damage it causes to the local environment.
