Help Needed
Single hull chemical tanker en route from Russia to the US. Shortly after leaving the Mediterranean, the Chief Engineer told the Captain (and a Superintendent who was on board) that he ‘may have pumped a lot of sludge overboard in the Mediterranean.’ The sludge tank was empty and it then appeared that oil records had been falsified. Stopped ship prior to arrival in US waters and contacted managers. Managers contacted flag state and classification society and US authorities. Proceeded on passage and boarded by numerous officials on arrival. Ship was searched, hard drives confiscated, forensic checks made and other engine ratings promised an amnesty by US Department of Justice to report any illegal dumping, but none came forward. Searched for magic pipe but not found. CE would not say how he’d done it. Company CEO arrived in person to face US authorities and gave evidence that he had actively dissuaded crew members from dumping oil at sea, including funding a training video. It was during this time, that 1) the USCG found a receipt to say that the vessel had legally landed 17 t of sludge at a Mediterranean port and 2) the Chief Engineer’s behaviour became increasingly erratic. Dept of Justice decided there was no case to answer and recommended that the Chief Engineer be given psychiatric help
