The Directorate General of the Merchant Marine, of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, has imposed a fine of 250,000 euros on the fishing vessel MARSHAL KRYLOV, flying the flag of Cameroon, for the spill of about 200 liters of fuel into the sea and for failure to notify the event.
The resolution also establishes that the offenders will have to pay the Maritime Safety and Rescue Society (SASEMAR) the expenses caused by the cleaning work of the contaminated waters.
The spill took place in the waters of the Port of Las Palmas on November 12, 2023, during fuel transfer operations from one tank to another and during the investigation it has been verified that there was negligence in carrying them out.
This pollution episode forced the Captaincy to activate the National Maritime Plan in situation 1. The Internal Maritime Plan of the Port of Las Palmas was also activated and an operation was launched to monitor, control and clean up the fuel discharge which, fortunately, did not transcend the port waters.
The Maritime Captaincy of Las Palmas, after the corresponding inspection actions, initiated an administrative sanctioning procedure against the shipping company, its captain and the insurer. This procedure has been completed and those responsible for the ship have proceeded to payment.
He who pollutes, pays
These actions are one more example that the Spanish maritime Administration works in the fight against pollution in the sea by putting a stop to episodes of this type, which contravene our legal system.
Specifically, the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL Convention) on the control of oil discharges has been violated, which obliges the States party to sanction transgressions that occur in their waters with sanctions sufficiently severe to deter from committing this type of conduct harmful to the marine environment. In this way, action is taken in favor of the sustainability of our seas.
