Manipulation of SOLAS and MARPOL relevant systems is a criminal act!

Dear colleagues on board,

Last week, during an internal routine inspection of a ballast water treatment system on one of our ships, the following system manipulation was discovered: The pin between the signal sensor and the bypass valve was removed, thus signaling to the system that the ballast water was flowing through the treatment system. In reality, the ballast water was routed through the open bypass valve. The ballast water treatment system was thus bypassed.

Dear colleagues, such manipulation not only constitutes a gross violation of the SOLAS and MARPOL Conventions, such manipulation is an act of sabotage and therefore a criminal act.

For those who don't know, violations of MARPOL are punishable by very high fines of several hundred thousand euros or dollars. And such MARPOL-related fines are personal. This means that if system manipulation is discovered during a Marpol inspection, the captain and the chief engineer pay the fine personally without assistance from the ship owner.

Honestly, how stupid do you have to be to take such a huge risk? For what? Out of convenience?

In any case, people on board our ships who tamper with SOLAS and MARPOL-relevant systems will be personally punished to the fullest extent of the law without any consideration!

I assume you all understand this and that such an incident will not happen again on board our ships.

Thank you!