Read Authentic Ratings for the Sakura-Princess

In a significant ruling, a chief engineer has been found guilty of defrauding his employer of 200 tonnes of bunker fuel while serving on the crude oil tanker Sakura Princess. The verdict was delivered following an investigation by Singapore's Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) in collaboration with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). Pittis Stavros, the engineer in question, was overseeing operations on the vessel, which is part of Navig8's VLCC pool, known as the V8 Pool. Today, he is set to face sentencing for his role in this fraudulent scheme. Stavros conspired with a bunker clerk and a marine surveyor to manipulate the delivery of 300 tonnes of CST380 fuel oil intended for the ship, receiving only 500 tonnes. This deliberate misreporting allowed the criminal trio to illicitly sell the misappropriated 200 tonnes back to the supplier, engaging in a practice known as a 'buy-back' arrangement in the bunkering sector. This case highlights the ongoing issues of corruption and malpractice within the marine fuel industry.