The U.S.
Coast Guard has initiated a criminal investigation into the MSC Poesia after allegations surfaced that the cruise ship may have been illegally discharging oil at sea. A U.S. official familiar with the matter indicated that the probe centers on the suspected use of a so-called magic pipe, a device designed to bypass standard pollution control equipment by routing oily waste directly into the ship’s gray water system. Using a so-called “magic pipe” could lead to hefty fines. But got little help from U.S. on Nvidia chip probe, sources say, singapore held Alice Huang’s passport for months.
While gray water, which typically consists of drainage from sinks and showers, is permitted to be discharged at sea under specific distance requirements from the shore, the intentional redirection of oil into these lines violates federal environmental laws. This investigation could potentially implicate crew members, the vessel’s ownership, and any other parties found to be criminally liable for these actions.
Earlier this month, the MSC Poesia was detained at the Port of Miami after the Coast Guard discovered undisclosed deficiencies regarding the vessel’s onboard systems. At the time of the detention, which involved over 2,000 passengers on board, MSC Cruises characterized the incident as a regulatory matter and declined to provide further specifics. The ship was ultimately cleared to depart the port this past Thursday. Which operates the ship, for comment, has reached out to MSC Cruises. Coast Guard, which has jurisdiction to inspect foreign-flagged vessels entering U.S. ports, “identified deficiencies with systems on board the vessel. More than 2,000 people were on board the MSC Poesia at the time of its detention, a source familiar with the matter told.
The use of bypass pipes in the maritime industry has previously resulted in massive financial penalties. In 2016, Carnival’s Princess Cruises was ordered to pay a $40 million fine and entered guilty pleas to seven felony charges for dumping oily waste into the ocean, marking one of the largest penalties in the industry’s history. White House warns of “blatant criminality” in Democratic probes.
As the current probe continues, officials are examining the extent of the alleged illegal activity. This report was first Alex Sundby contributed to this report. This story published first on at 12:21 p.m. on Nov.
