The U.S. has fined a Japanese shipping company $1 million for covering up the intentional oil pollution of the waters off North Carolina last year.

"This case demonstrates that those who pollute our oceans and deliberately mislead U.S. Coast Guard officials will be brought to justice," Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Wood said.

The company that owns the Atlantic Oasis admitted its engineers failed to document the illegal discharge of oily waste into the Atlantic.

The Justice Department says it hopes the penalties and harsh fines will deter anyone who would use the environment as a dumping ground.

美国对一家日本船运公司处以100万美元的罚款。这家日本公司在其船只去年在美国北卡罗来纳州附近的公海上排放废油后试图掩盖真相。

美国司法部代理部长助理伍德说，“这起案件显示，污染我们的海洋并有意误导美国海岸警卫队官员的任何人都将被绳之以法。”

这家拥有“大西洋绿洲”号船的日本公司承认自己的工程师对非法在大西洋排放废油的行为没有进行记载。

美国司法部说，希望严厉的惩处和罚款能阻止将大自然作为排废场的现象。