Pacific and Atlantic (P&A) of Athens has pleaded guilty to falsifying an oil record book on its 17,800-dwt bulker John G. Lemos (built 1986) in the US.

The District Court in Oregon ordered the owner to pay a $500,000 fine, half of which will be paid to the Colombia River Estuary Coastal Fund.

In addition, it must establish an environmental compliance programme for all 10 vessels in its fleet.

On 4 January the US Coast Guard conducted a routine port state check on the ship in Portland, revealing false entries in the oil record book.

Falsifying records prevent authorities from checking a ship is following required pollution control practices, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said.