Exxon and its shipping subsidiary pleaded guilty to four criminal misdemeanor violations of environmental law and agreed to pay a $100 million fine.

The shipping subsidiaries of Cenargo emerged from administration in December 2003 as Norse Merchant Group.

LEAD: The Exxon Corporation and its shipping subsidiary are scheduled for trial on June 18 on Federal charges stemming from the Alaska oil spill of March 1989.

The company's roots go back to 1851, when Hewitt & Tuttle, an iron ore brokerage, formed a shipping subsidiary.

Before taking the position at the Federal mediation agency, he served as head of labor relations for Sea-Land Service Inc., the shipping subsidiary of the CSX Corporation.

All the cases have been consolidated, and trials against Exxon and its shipping subsidiary are to begin in state and Federal courts next spring.

Much of that money, he said, is likely to go toward litigating the case against Exxon and its shipping subsidiary, which are the main targets of the lawsuits.

The pact also calls on Exxon and its shipping subsidiary to plead guilty to four criminal violations of environmental law and pay a fine of $100 million.

The company's shipping subsidiary pleaded guilty to three similar charges.

Exxon and its shipping subsidiary pleaded not guilty in Federal District Court today to criminal charges stemming from the nation's worst oil spill.