Mokpo Coast Guard Catches Vessel Illegally Discharging Bilge Water

Intentional Discharge of Approximately 550L of Waste Oil Mixed with Water into Harbor Waters from Engine Room

Mokpo Coast Guard Station (Chief Kim Hae-cheol) announced that it has apprehended the owner and chief engineer of dredging vessel A (315t, Busan-registered), a 300-ton class ship, on charges of deliberately discharging waste oil within the harbor.

On the morning of the 12th at 7:33 AM, Mokpo Coast Guard received a report of a strong smell of oil near the Mokpo New Port pier.

The Coast Guard dispatched two patrol vessels to the scene, confirmed the marine pollution status, and completed emergency containment operations. Based on the report, they tracked and apprehended the offending vessel.

Mokpo Maritime Police Station Exterior

According to the Coast Guard investigation, a statement was obtained from the chief engineer of vessel A that on the afternoon of the 11th at around 5:30 PM, approximately 550 liters of waste oil mixed with water was deliberately discharged into the sea for about 10 minutes using a portable pump from the ship’s engine room.

Under Article 22, Paragraph 1 of the Marine Environment Management Act, if a person intentionally discharges pollutants into the sea, the ship owner and the offender may each face imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to 5 million KRW.

Additionally, water accumulated on the engine room floor contains a large amount of waste oil and must be disposed of by entrusting a licensed oil tank cleaning company or discharged through lawful equipment such as an oil-water separator in accordance with the Marine Environment Management Act.

A Mokpo Coast Guard official stated, “Along with cracking down on illegal discharge of ship wastewater and other marine pollution acts, we will continue preventive activities and lead efforts to create a clean sea.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.