Working Conditions Aboard the Kota-Harum

In a significant ruling, the Singapore-based shipping company, Pacific International Lines (PIL), was sentenced in Hagatna, Guam, for unlawful oil discharges into Apra Harbor. The company also faced charges for maintaining falsified records concerning the disposal of oily bilge water from its vessel, the 'Kota Harum'. Chief Engineer Maung Maung Soe and Second Engineer Peng Luo Hai admitted to illegally dumping oily bilge water directly into the ocean as well as Apra Harbor without proper treatment through required pollution prevention equipment. On October 4, 2019, during Mr. Hai’s tenure at PIL, he used the emergency fire/ballast pump of Kota Harum to discharge oily bilge water overboard, resulting in a visible oil sheen on Apra Harbor's waters. Furthermore, Mr. Soe acknowledged that persistent leaks on the ship led to oily bilge water accumulating faster than the oil water separator could process. Instead of addressing the leaks or storing the contaminated water in holding tanks for proper disposal, it became routine for the crew of the Kota Harum to discharge the oily bilge water directly into the ocean. Mr. Soe also failed to record these overboard discharges in the vessel's oil record book, and he modified the vessel's sounding log to falsely indicate that oily bilge water was being retained in holding tanks rather than being discharged. As a result, PIL pled guilty to five felony offenses under the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships and one under the Clean Water Act for knowingly releasing oil into U.S. waters in harmful quantities. The court imposed a substantial criminal penalty of $3 million and mandated a four-year probation period during which all PIL-operated vessels calling at U.S. ports must follow a comprehensive Environmental Compliance Plan. Prior to this sentencing, both Mr. Soe and Mr. Hai received probation sentences of two years and one year, respectively, and they are barred from serving as engineers on any commercial vessels destined for the United States throughout their probation periods.

Two crew members aboard the 'Kota Harum,' which docked in Guam on February 5, 2020, are currently under quarantine due to medical concerns. Rory Respicio, the General Manager of the Port Authority of Guam, confirmed that the Medical Surveillance Team from the Public Health Agency is conducting evaluations on the affected individuals. In response to the situation, the U.S. Coast Guard issued a Captain of the Port order, restricting the ill crew members from leaving the vessel and ensuring they remain in their quarters. While assessments by Public Health officials are ongoing, the remaining crew of 22 has been declared healthy and free of illness.