Attempts by the operator of the box ship Cosco Busan, which struck San Francisco's Bay Bridge in 2007 and spilled 53,000 gallons of fuel oil, to set a limit on the fine it could face to US$215,000 has been turned down by a federal appeals court. Prosecutors will now be free to seek up to US$40m in punishment for Hong Kong's Fleet Management Ltd. The company had last month offered to plead guilty to two pollution misdemeanour charges that would have exposed it to the smaller fine, but prosecutors obtained a new indictment citing them for causing US$20m in damage and exposing them to punitive damages of twice that amount. The company argued that it was unfair of prosecutors to seek a revised indictment so late, but prosecutors said, and a district court agreed, that they were entitled to do so.
In addition to the two pollution charges, Fleet Management also faces six felony counts of making false statements and obstructing justice by falsifying transit documents after the accident.
(Source: Maritimetme Global Net)