Suspected of maritime and atmospheric pollution, a 230-meter bulk carrier operated by a South Korean shipping company was immobilized for a week in Fos-sur-Mer at the end of September by the Marseille prosecutor’s office and the ship’s captain will be tried in July 2024, a we learned on Thursday.
Upon its arrival on September 21 at the Arcelor quay in Fos-sur-Mer (Bouches-du-Rhône), where it was to unload ore, the M/v SM Roberts Bank, this recent 230 meter panamax was checked by the ship safety center (CSN). Based on an analysis of the on-board documents, the inspectors then noted the use of its scrubber – smoke filter – in the unauthorized three nautical mile zone.
Guarantee of 80,000 euros
The operation of the scrubber involves the discharge into the sea of polluted water which has allowed the washing of fumes. Furthermore, specified the prosecutor’s office of the specialized coastal jurisdiction (Julis), on the basis of the investigation entrusted to the maritime gendarmerie and the CSN, the fuel used several hours after its arrival at the dock had a sulfur content higher than the 0.1% maximum allowed.
The release of the judicial immobilization ordered by the Marseille prosecutor’s office took place on September 27, after the receipt of a deposit of 80,000 euros. Once this sum was paid by the South Korean company operating the ship, it was able to set sail again for Dunkirk.
A million euro fine
The company and the commander denied having voluntarily committed these regulatory breaches, claiming to have scrupulously respected the requirements of software supposed to anticipate the use of fuel with limited sulfur content authorized in the three-mile band and at dock.
The operating company faces a fine of one million euros for these offenses, specifies a press release from the prosecution, which underlines its desire to be intransigent with this “invisible” atmospheric and maritime pollution.