Georgia fines Panama-flagged vessel for polluting Black Sea

A vessel sailing under the Panamanian flag has been fined in Georgia for pollution of the Black Sea, authorities said.

The penalty was imposed following an environmental violation case, Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

“The Poti court fined the vessel 100,000 lari ($37,000). The ship was allowed to leave Georgia’s territorial waters after paying the fine and compensating for the damage,” the Department of Environmental Supervision stated.

The agency reported that five cases of Black Sea pollution involving foreign-flagged vessels have been recorded in Georgia since the beginning of the year.

It also noted that, as of 1 October 2024, Georgia increased the penalty for marine pollution from 65,000 to 100,000 lari, in addition to requiring compensation for environmental damage.

By Vafa Guliyeva