Company Dumped Oil, Garbage Into Ocean Around San Diego: Authorities

SAN DIEGO, CA — A ship management company and two of its employees pleaded guilty in San Diego federal court to dumping oil and burned garbage into the Pacific Ocean, according to authorities.

Zeaborn Ship Management pleaded guilty to two felony violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, and agreed to pay a $2 million penalty, authorities said Tuesday. Chief Engineer Constancio Estuye and Capt. Alexander Parreno each pleaded guilty to one felony violation of the act, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

“Illegally dumping oily waste and garbage at sea poses a serious threat to the health and viability of the marine environment,” Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim said in a news release.

Zeaborn admitted that at least four times between June and October 2022 it dumped over 7,500 gallons of oily bilge water from the vessel Star Maia into the ocean without first processing the water through required pollution prevention equipment, authorities said. The company also admitted to burning garbage — including paper, plastic and oily rags — in barrels on the ship’s deck and throwing the barrels into the ocean at least three times between June and August 2022, according to the department. Neither the bilge nor the garbage dumping was accurately recorded, authorities said.

“Illegal dumping of oil, falsification of oil record books and flagrant disregard for air emission requirements are egregious violations,” Sector Commander Capt. James Spitler, of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Sector San Diego, said in the news release. “These guilty pleas should serve as a reminder that the Coast Guard and our partners at the Justice Department will work tirelessly to hold accountable those that seek to deliberately harm the maritime environment.”

The plea agreement, subject to acceptance by the court, includes a $1.5 million fine and a $500,000 community service payment to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for projects in or around the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve, according to authorities. Zeaborn will also serve a four-year probation, during which any vessels operated by the company and calling on U.S. ports will be required to implement a robust environmental compliance plan, the department said.

Sentencing for Zeaborn, Estuve and Parreno is set for Dec. 1, according to authorities.