The captain of a general cargo ship has been jailed in Indonesia for transporting containers containing hazardous and toxic liquid waste into the country in violation of environmental and shipping laws, foreign media reported.

The vessel, SB Cramoil Equity, is understood to be owned by Cramoil Singapore. In April 2018, Cramoil Singapore was issued a stop-work order by Singapore's national water agency PUB after it was found to have discharged toxic waste water into a public sewer, the first such order by PUB.

Manifold Times reported in May 2019 that the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) had listed the company as one of the licensed toxic industrial waste collectors (TIWC), which may be able to collect scrubber residues produced by ships.

On June 13, 2021, the Batam Port Authority was informed that SB Cramoil Equity had arrived in waters around Batam and that the vessel was bringing toxic liquids into Batam. The ship was boarded by a Port Authority patrol, who found 20 containers containing up to 1,000 liters of toxic waste each.

According to relevant local Indonesian laws, transporting hazardous waste into Indonesian waters without a permit is a violation of national environmental law, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Indonesian captain Chosmus Palandi, 48, was jailed for seven years and fined nearly $334,200. The case was heard in June, and Indonesian authorities released the verdict on July 22.

Indonesia's environment ministry said on July 22 that it was committed to pursuing what it called a multinational crime. It wants to trace the origin of the toxic cargo and is seeking to prosecute any other parties or companies involved.

"We have coordinated with the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore and will investigate the case further," said Rasio Ridho Sani, the ministry's director general for enforcement.