MIAMI — Carnival Corporation reached a settlement with federal prosecutors Monday, June 3, that will see the international cruise ship company pay $20 million due to its ships polluting the oceans, according to a report from the Associated Press. 

The settlement, approved by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Patricia Seitz follows a previous criminal conviction aimed at “curbing similar conduct,” according to the Associated Press report.

The case was heard in federal United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

“Carnival admitted violating terms of probation from a 2016 criminal conviction for discharging oily waste from its Princess Cruise Lines ships and covering it up,” the Associated Press June 3 article said. 

A ship from the Princess Cruise subsidiary of Carnival Corp., the Sapphire Princess, will be visiting Rockland waters Sept. 29, according to a schedule of planned cruise ship visits from the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce. 

The Sapphire Princess was not one of the ships involved in the accusations of ocean pollution, according to USA Today, though the BBC noted an investigation of Princess Cruise Lines following a 2013 coast of England incident.

The Associated Press, in covering the June 3 settlement, cited gray water dumping, plastic and food waste discharges, and administrative violations.

Carnival promised additional audits to check for violations, a restructuring of the company’s compliance and training programs, a better system for reporting environmental violations to state and federal agencies and improved waste management practices, according to the AP report. 

Reach George Harvey at: sports@penbaypilot.com.