Posted on 25 July 2022 19:36 by
The Maritime Executive
A district court in Batam, Indonesia, handed down a seven-year prison sentence to the captain of the workboat Action Cramoil to enter Indonesian waters with barrels of hazardous liquid waste.
In mid-June 2021, the Port Authority of Batam received a tip indicating that the Belizean flag Action Cramoil was transporting hazardous waste without a permit in Batam waters. The agency’s patrol team ordered the ship to leave, but it reportedly did not comply.
Two days later, the patrol team found Action Cramoil still in Indonesian waters. A boarding crew found 20 bulk containers of toxic waste on the after deck, each containing approximately 250 gallons of liquid. Transporting hazardous waste through Indonesian waters without a permit is a violation of the country’s environmental laws, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The captain, identified as 48-year-old Indonesian national Chosmus Palandi, was convicted of transporting hazardous waste in June 2022 and sentenced to seven years in prison, plus a fine of $330,000 (or an additional three months in prison ). The outcome of the case was announced in July.
The case may extend beyond a penalty for the captain alone. The Indonesian Ministry of Environment is working with the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore to try to trace the origin of the shipment. The ship’s operator, Cramoil Singapore, has previously been cited by Singapore authorities for an alleged discharge of untreated sewage.
“Strong action against waste smuggling and any act against the environment must be taken to protect Indonesia’s waters and environment,” the ministry said in a statement.
