The charge involved the oil tanker Cielo di Milano, which visited ports in New Jersey, Maryland and Florida in 2014 and 2015. The Palermo-based company admitted the ship's crew intentionally discharged bilge water and oily waste from the engine room into the sea.

It also admitted falsifying and destroying records and to lying to the Coast Guard during inspections. The $4 million penalty includes $1 million in organizational community service payments to restore the coastal environment of New Jersey.