The Captain of P&O Cruises ship Azura has been fined EUR 100,000 (GBP 88,500) in Marseille court for burning fuel with excessive sulphur level.
He appeared in criminal court for "violating fuel standards" during vessel’s call at Marseille on March 29, 2018.
The ship used heavy fuel oil with 1,68% of sulfur, which exceeds the 1.5% limit.
The American captain, Evans Hoyt, had known the fuel was illegal, and the company was using it in order to save money, the prosecutors said during the trial.
The judge handed Hoyt EUR 100,000 fine, but specified that parent company of P&O Cruises, US-based Carnival, should pay EUR 80,000 of the sum.
For other MS Azura accidents and incidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.