Chief Mate Violates Environmental Laws.

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From Bryant's Maritime Blog - DOJ – chief mate pleads guilty to violating invasive species law.

A crack had developed between a fuel tank and the forepeak ballast tank, allowing fuel to enter the ballast tank. The contaminated ballast water was then pumped directly overboard, but the leak and discharge were not noted in the ballast water records. The chief mate provided the known-to-be-false ballast water records to the Coast Guard boarding officers in an attempt to mislead them.

Mariners have can-do attitude about getting the job done. But consider changing attitudes about workers rights eliminated harsh disciplinary methods to get the job done we must now understand changing attitudes about the environment.

If the ship has leaky fuel tanks or similar problems we can no longer provide work a rounds to keep things moving. When it comes to oil in the water the company has to understand "No can do."

That leaves aside the real question, the relative power between mariner and management.

K.C.