The chief engineer of a Marshall Islands bulk carrier pleaded guilty May 18 to two felony counts: deliberately discharging approximately 10,000 gallons of oil-contaminated bilge water overboard in U.S. waters off the coast of New Orleans last year and then trying to obstruct the Coast Guard’s investigation of the spill.
The illegal conduct was first reported to the Coast Guard by a crew member via social media.
Kirill Kompaniets, a Russian national, was charged with the illegal discharge in...