The chief engineer of the 105,000-dwt Tanker Pacific aframax Aral Sea (built 1999) faces up to five years in a US jail and a fine of up to $250,000 for concealing the discharge of oily waste from the vessel.

Jarnail Singh has pleaded guilty to concealing the discharge following a month long US Coast Guard investigation into the deception.

The investigation is continuing but it is not yet clear if any action will be taken against the Ofer group company as well as the chief engineer.

During a routine inspection of the tanker at Portland Coast Guard officials found waste oil in the overboard piping of the vessel.

Singh told officials that the oily water separator was working properly and also produced an oil record book that created the false impression that no more than 15 parts per million of oil was being discharged as required under the Marpol international convention and US law.

But things were not quite as they appeared and it was discovered that Singh had directed that the oil water separator be tricked by running fresh water through a sensor designed to stop the illegal discharge of oil.

This explained how oil came to be in the overboard piping according to the Coast Guard.

The US justice department appears to be taking a tough line over Singh’s untrue statements and presentation of falsified records.

“Today’s plea demonstrates that companies and individuals operating and managing ships in our oceans may not pollute and then lie about it to our government,” said Thomas L Sansonetti, assistant attorney general for the justice department’s environment and natural resources division.