U.S. justice sentences Interorient

Washington - The Western District of Lousiana has convicted and sentenced Interorient Marine Services Limited, for maintaining false and incomplete records relating to the discharge of oil from the tank vessel “Ridgebury Alexandra Z.”

The company will pay a total fine of $2 million and serve a 4-year term of probation, says a press release by the U.S. Department of Justice. During the probation all vessels operated by the company and calling on U.S. ports will be required to implement a robust Environmental Compliance Plan.

The vessel’s captain, Vjaceslavs Birzakovs, was charged in a six-count indictment by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Louisiana on Nov. 29, 2018, for his involvement in this case.

The indictment alleges that Birzakovs directed circumvention of the vessel’s pollution prevention equipment, falsified records, obstructed justice, made false statements, and conspired with other crewmembers to falsify the vessel’s Oil Record Book and to obstruct the U.S. Coast Guard’s enforcement of the law in conjunction with the illegal discharges from the Ridgebury Alexandra Z.