The Marguerita: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

On December 3, 2020, at approximately 3:20 PM, the bulk carrier 'Marguerita' experienced significant propulsion failure while situated 20 nautical miles north of Ouessant, just at the exit of the upward track of the Ouessant traffic separation scheme. The vessel's captain promptly notified the CROSS Corsen about the predicament. Due to deteriorating weather conditions, the Maritime Prefect of the Atlantic ordered the emergency tug 'Abeille Bourbon,' which was already stationed near the Stiff lighthouse, to assist the distressed vessel. Throughout the night, the crew made several attempts to repair the damage, but unfortunately, these efforts were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, 'Marguerita' began to drift slowly, and by dawn, it had moved approximately ten nautical miles off the shore. Given the circumstances, the maritime prefecture prompted the vessel's owner to sign a private towing agreement with 'Abeille Bourbon' for the safe transport of the bulk carrier to Brest. Towage operations began on December 4 at 9:40 AM. By December 5 at 7:20 AM, 'Marguerita' successfully docked at the CIB Brest Shipyard, concluding its challenging ordeal. The vessel was en route from Las Palmas to Antwerp, carrying 26,000 tons of coal and manned by a crew of 21. For further details, check the full report with images: https://www.ouest-france.fr/mer/brest-probleme-de-carte-electronique-pour-le-marguerita-7074396.

In a significant legal ruling, German shipping firm MST Mineralien Schiffahrt (MST) has been ordered to pay a hefty $3.2 million penalty following their guilty plea in a case involving environmental violations. The U.S. Justice Department revealed that the company faced charges for deliberately obstructing justice and falsifying oil record books to mask pollution emissions from its vessel, the MV Marguerita, during its regular visits to Portland, Maine. The court proceedings took place last Friday in Portland where MST admitted to breaching the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships. The violations stemmed from the company's actions over a span of nine months, during which the ship released oily bilge waste—an act they sought to hide using fraudulent log book entries. This case underscores the serious ramifications of environmental negligence within the maritime industry, as authorities continue to clamp down on such unlawful practices.

PORTLAND, Maine — Federal authorities have brought charges against two German shipping companies for allegedly falsifying environmental records concerning the M/V Marguerita, a cargo ship involved in the paper industry. On Tuesday, a grand jury in the U.S. District Court in Portland indicted the ship's owner and operator, citing their failure to accurately maintain pollution control records and their involvement in record falsification, as highlighted by the Department of Justice in an official statement. The indictment includes nine counts against the companies, stemming from at least eight incidents in 2016 and 2017, during which the ship entered U.S. waters with misleading documentation regarding bilge water disposal from the Liberian-flagged vessel. The details concerning the legality of the alleged discharges and their exact locations remain uncertain. However, court documents reveal that U.S. officials became aware of the situation in June, shortly before the M/V Marguerita's arrival in Portland. On June 19, a crew member alerted the German firms that the chief engineer of the Marguerita had expelled bilge water without proper documentation, leading to a motion filed by the companies’ attorneys to challenge a grand jury subpoena for records and testimony related to the case.