The incident, which caused environmental damage exceeding ₾20,000 ($7,104), was identified by the department's experts.
The Poti City Court, located in the western Georgian port city, found the vessel's crew guilty of violating environmental regulations and imposed the fine. The vessel was allowed to depart Georgian territorial waters after paying the fine and compensating for the environmental damage.
The Department emphasized that detecting and preventing marine pollution remains a top priority. So far this year, two pollution incidents involving foreign-flagged vessels have been reported, following 16 similar cases in 2024.
