Coast guard drone films illegal trash dumping on tanker in North Sea

German coast guard officers caught the crew of a Liberian tanker illegally dumping trash into the North Sea. Using a drone, police filmed the ship's crew discarding multiple bags of garbage overboard in the German Bight.

The drone, launched from the federal police ship "Bad Düben," was observing the tanker's route. When officers contacted the freighter via marine radio, the crew initially claimed no substances were released into the sea. However, after being shown the drone footage, the captain admitted that a crew member had disposed of crushed food waste.

This act constitutes a violation of the international Marpol agreement. While ships are permitted to dump crushed food waste under specific conditions, it must be done while underway and at a certain distance from land. The North and Baltic Seas are designated as protected areas, making such disposal prohibited.

Further inspection revealed prohibited garbage stored on the tanker's deck. The crew received a warning, and the case was transferred to the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency in Hamburg. The tanker had initially drawn the police's attention due to erratic maneuvers after exiting the Kiel Canal.