Horizon Lines has agreed to reforms and a $1 million fine related to water discharge procedures on a cargo ship operating between Hono­lulu and the West Coast.

The North Carolina-based company announced Friday that it has entered into a plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice involving charges that the company submitted false records and misused equipment intended to remove oil from bilge water before it can be legally discharged into the ocean.

The practices occurred on the Horizon Enterprise sailing between the West Coast and Hono­lulu.

Horizon agreed to plead guilty to two counts of providing federal authorities with false vessel oil record-keeping entries on a containership. The plea is subject to court approval.

Stephen Fraser, Horizon’s president and chief executive officer, in a statement characterized the violations as unauthorized actions by a few individuals that run contrary to normal care and training by company vessel crews.

"We are making every effort to see that this does not happen again, as we continue to provide service to our customers as an environmentally responsible American corporation," he said. "Horizon Lines has always endeavored to operate as a responsible environmental steward."

As part of the plea deal, Horizon agreed to be on probation for three years, pay a $1 million fine and donate an additional $500,000 to the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation for environmental community service programs.

The company also conducted a fleet-wide audit and had an outside contractor implement a compliance and training program.