Discover the St-Zeezee: Ratings & Maritime News

In a recent transaction, a vessel has been sold for an impressive $8 million. The sale details have been kept under wraps, with the buyers remaining undisclosed. This significant deal underscores the ongoing activity in the maritime sector, as interest in fleet expansions continues to grow among various stakeholders.

On August 27, a new charter has been finalized for the transportation of 30,000 metric tons of dirty cargo from Taranto in the Mediterranean region. The negotiation was managed under the West Sea (WS) 150 terms, with Shell orchestrating the deal. This arrangement highlights the ongoing maritime activities in the Mediterranean, reflecting the strategic importance of Taranto as a trading port.

In a significant ruling regarding maritime pollution, Giacomo Curatolo, a senior officer of the oil tanker Cielo Di Milano, received an eight-month federal prison sentence on November 21, 2016, after he admitted to violating ocean pollution regulations. The 50-year-old from Custonaci, Sicily, pleaded guilty in August to colluding to breach the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships. During his time as chief engineer aboard the Cielo Di Milano, Curatolo acknowledged that the vessel's crew intentionally evaded pollution control equipment by discharging oily waste from the engine room via the sewage system into the ocean. This deceptive practice was revealed during a U.S. Coast Guard inspection in January 2015 when Curatolo provided false information and instructed crew members to destroy critical logs that documented the storage tank contents. The Cielo Di Milano made several port calls in New Jersey, as well as in Maryland and Florida. Additionally, the ship's first assistant engineer, Danilo Maimone, has also pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to obstruct justice, with his sentencing set for January 18, 2017. Alongside his prison term, Judge Susan D. Wigenton mandated one year of supervised release for Curatolo and imposed a $5,000 fine.