PRINCESS Cruises will pay the largest-ever criminal penalty for deliberate vessel pollution, the US Dept of Justice has revealed.
The cruise line has agreed to plead guilty to seven felony charges from “its deliberate pollution of the seas and intentional acts to cover it up”, and pay a US$40m penalty, the Department said.
Investigations began after a newly-hired engineer on Caribbean Princess reported a so-called “magic pipe” had been used on 23 Aug 2013, to illegally discharge oily waste off the coast of England, after which senior staff ordered a cover-up.
According to court papers, the Caribbean Princess had been making illegal discharges through bypass equipment since 2005.
Under the agreement, eight Carnival Corp brands will be under a court supervised Environmental Compliance Program for five years.