Greek Ship Operator Barred From U.S.

Noka Shipping, a Greek ship management company, agreed to pay $900,000 in fines and was barred from operating in the United States after pleading guilty to multiple water pollution charges.

A federal judge in Corpus Christi, Texas, found Noka Shipping guilty of illegal oil dumping, failure to maintain an oil record book, and failure to notify the U.S. Coast Guard about hazardous conditions caused by excessive oil leaks aboard the 29,414-ton bulk ship Florin.

The ship had called the ports of Corpus Christi and Houston.

Investigators cited the company for incidents between last June and September. The judge ordered the company to pay $750,000 in criminal fines, plus $150,000 for community service that goes to support marine sanctuaries along the Texas Gulf coast.

-- Contact R.G. Edmonson at bedmonson@joc.com.