Pinoy chief engineer Warlito Tan for Empire Bulkers found not guilty on all counts related to oil discharge in US waters

Chief engineer for Empire Bulkers found not guilty on all counts related to oil discharge in US waters
November 18, 2022 https://splash247.com/chief-engineer-for-empire-bulkers-found-not-guilty...

In October 2021, Warlito Tan, chief engineer for Empire Bulkers, was charged, along with Empire Bulkers and Joanna Maritime Limited, for alleged violations of environmental and safety laws on the bulk carrier Joanna. The violations were discovered by the US Coast Guard during a March 2021 inspection of the vessel.

Tan was found not guilty on November 16 by a federal jury in New Orleans on all charges. 

The two companies, on the other hand, pled guilty to all charges in May. They admitted to knowingly falsifying the ship’s oil record book, concealing overboard discharges of oil-contaminated waste. They also admitted that, although Tan co-signed discharge entries in the oil record book, he had nothing to do with the operations and had no knowledge of their accuracy.

The companies confessed, as well, to tampering with the discharge line from the pressure relief valves in the purifier room, which could have led to a fire or explosion on board.