52 - 06/98 - Imprisonment for Oil Record Book Offences - Singapore

Please refer also to Bulletin 15 -  09/97 -  Oil Record Book Checking - Bremerhaven (Germany) and Bulletin 32 - 01/98 - Oil Record Book Checking (Fines) - Worldwide.

We would recommend owners/masters be extremely prudent in Singapore.

A case of

non maintenance of the Oil Record Book

plus

fraudulent entries

discovered on a ship in Singapore has resulted in the owners being fined a total of S$50,000 based on 10 charges (S$5000 a charge). The master was also sentenced to a total of

10 months imprisonment

(one month per charge). In addition to this the chief officer was sentenced to

6 weeks imprisonment

for giving misleading statements to MPA's investigators.

Further charges for

discharging oil

into the sea were made against the owners who were fined a further S$400,000, owners' agents S$400,000 and the master S$400,000 plus

3 months imprisonment

.

These are the heaviest sentences handed down by the Singapore courts in the Republic's history and it is the first time that Singapore has imposed imprisonment for offences relating to oil record books and marine pollution.

Clearly these matters are being taking extremely seriously by the authorities. Owners should therefore ensure that those responsible for maintaining the oil record book and anti pollution measures are fully aware of the severe consequences of contravening Marpol 73/78 in this area.

Source of Information :

External (See K. S. Lumbers)