Oil Tanker Captain Pleads Guilty to Pollution Violations

Abdurrahman Korkmaz, the captain of the PS Dreama Panamanian tanker, has pleaded guilty to violating the Prevention of Pollution from Ships Act (APPS) and obstruction of justice. The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed his guilty plea in a press release on June 11. The PS Dream arrived in New Orleans on January 26, 2023, where the U.S. Coast Guard conducted an inspection that revealed falsified oil records.
Korkmaz admitted to presenting the Coast Guard with false books that did not accurately show the discharge of oily waste into the sea on the voyage to New Orleans. He ordered his crew to pump oily waste from the residual oil tank overboard, violating international regulations. Senior executives at the affiliated companies, Prive Shipping and Prive Shipping Denizcilik Ticaret, were aware of the illegal actions and now face sentencing in September.
Korkmaz faces a possible sentence of six years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the APPS charge, and up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for obstruction of justice. The sentencing for both him and the affiliated companies will be determined by a federal district judge based on statutory factors and U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

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