Mt-Ocean-Princess Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

In a significant enforcement action, the U.S. Department of Justice District of the Virgin Islands has imposed hefty fines exceeding $3 million on two Greek shipping firms for multiple air pollution violations in the U.S. Caribbean Emission Control Area. The charges primarily involve Ionian Shipping & Trading Corp. and Lily Shipping Ltd, along with their associates, Stamatios Alekidis, Athanasios Pittas, and Rey Espulgar, for misconduct associated with the tanker Ocean Princess. The violations included the use of fuel with sulfur concentrations surpassing the regulatory limits and misleading tactics employed to fool U.S. Coast Guard inspectors regarding the origin of the fuel. The tanker Ocean Princess, under the ownership of Lily Shipping Ltd and operated by Ionian Shipping & Trading Corp., played a pivotal role in transporting petroleum products across the Caribbean, including sourcing from Limetree Terminals in St. Croix. Commanded by Stamatios Alekidis, the vessel’s Master was reported to have received permissions from the commercial manager to transfer petroleum from its cargo tanks into the bunker tanks, further exacerbating the offenses committed. This case highlights the ongoing commitment of U.S. authorities to enforcing environmental regulations and holding companies accountable for pollution-related activities in sensitive maritime zones.