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Chief engineer of Italian ship latest charged in Tampa pollution case

Another crew member from the Italian tanker Marigola was charged Wednesday in a case involving pollution law violations on the high seas uncovered by the Coast Guard at Port Tampa Bay. This time, the defendant is a chief engineer, Carmelo Giano. The U.S. Attorney's Office also brought criminal charges this week against ship owner Carbofin S.P.A. and second assistant engineer Alessandro Messore. In a plea agreement filed Tuesday, the company admitted that it had not kept accurate oil records, which is a crime under federal maritime pollution laws, and agreed to pay $2.75 million. The men are accused individually of the same violation, which may be punishable by up to six years in prison. An attorney for Carbofin said this week there were no discharges of pollutants in U.S. waters. The Marigola and two other Carbofin ships suspected of bypassing pollution control equipment, the Marola and the Solaro, have visited Tampa's port 73 times since 2012, according to court records and a port official. http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/chief-engineer-of-italian-ship-latest-charged-in-tampa-pollution-case/2209768