How to go to PRISON as a MERCHANT MARINE ENGINEER. ALL THE STEPS.

How to go to PRISON as a MERCHANT MARINE ENGINEER. ALL THE STEPS.

All the steps – a real scenario that has happened dozens of times ⚠️

In the merchant navy, the engineer holds in his hands not only the ship, but also his freedom.
One mistake – or one “clever trick” – is enough to take you from the engine room… to a jail cell.

Let’s see step by step how a Chief Engineer ended up in prison by bypassing the Oily Water Separator (OWS).

1️⃣ The system that does not forgive: Oily Water Separator

The OWS exists for one reason:

To prevent the discharge of oily water into the sea above 15 ppm.

It is connected to:

  • 15 ppm bilge alarm

  • automatic discharge stop

  • recording (logs)

  • Oil Record Book (ORB)

⚠️ It is not just a “machine.” It is a legal trap.

2️⃣ How the Chief Engineer bypassed the system

The most common illegal methods (all documented in court decisions):

  • Tampering with the 15 ppm sensor sample by feeding fresh water from an external source

  • 💻 Interference with the PLC / alarm

  • 🛢️ Bilge discharge directly into the sea

👉 On paper: “Everything legal”
👉 In reality: an environmental crime

3️⃣ Why he did it

Not because he “wanted to pollute.”

The real reasons are:

  • Time pressure (port – departure – inspection)

  • Poor bilge condition

  • Inadequate equipment

  • Pressure from the shipowner or superintendent

  • Fear of delays and extra costs

❌ None of these is recognized as an excuse in court.

4️⃣ How the Coast Guard caught him

He is almost never caught “in the act.”
He is caught through evidence.

The most common ways of getting caught:

  • 🧪 Waste / sludge analysis

  • 📊 ORB – tank sounding discrepancy

  • 🔍 PSC inspection (Port State Control)

  • 🗣️ Report by a crew member

  • 💾 Review of OWS / alarm logs

  • 📷 Evidence of oil sheen on the sea

📌 In most cases, someone talked.

5️⃣ The moment everything ends

  • The ship is detained

  • The Chief Engineer is removed from the ship

  • Passport confiscated

  • Interrogation with no “marine logic,” only criminal law

From that moment on:

You are not an engineer anymore.
You are a defendant.

6️⃣ The penalties imposed

Depending on the country (USA, EU, etc.), penalties include:

🔴 Criminal

  • Imprisonment (months to years)

  • Criminal record

  • Personal fines of tens or hundreds of thousands of €

🔴 Professional

  • License revocation

  • Blacklisting by companies

  • End of a career at sea

🔴 Corporate

  • Multi-million fines

  • Compliance monitoring

  • Public exposure

7️⃣ The biggest mistake

The Chief Engineer believed that:

“This has been happening for years and nobody bothers anyone.”

Reality:

At some point, somebody pays for it.

And almost always… it is the engineer.

Conclusion – The lesson

  • The OWS must not be bypassed

  • The ORB must not be “corrected”

  • Pressure is not an excuse

  • Your signature is legal responsibility

In the engine room, you may be the Chief Engineer.
In court, you are simply a defendant.

🎥 What you will see in the video

✔️ How a Chief Engineer bypassed the operation of the Oily Water Separator
✔️ Why he did it
✔️ How the Coast Guard caught him
✔️ What penalties he faced

📌 This video is for:

  • Merchant Marine Academy students
  • Merchant Navy engineers
  • shipping enthusiasts
  • anyone who wants to understand how a ship really works

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⚓ Marine engineering is not just power — it is control, knowledge, and proper coordination.

🎥 The video