21-6-2024 (SINGAPORE) The Singaporean government agencies will pursue compensation from the owner of the Singapore-flagged ship that leaked fuel after being struck by another vessel, resulting in the oil spill incident on June 14.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) announced on June 20 that the shipÂowner of the bunker vessel Marine Honour is liable for the costs incurred, as the ship has insurance coverage to meet this liability.
This action falls under the Merchant Shipping (Civil Liability and Compensation for Oil Pollution) Act 1998, which is Singapore’s enactment of the 1992 International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage.
Under this Act, the owner of Marine Honour has strict liability, meaning it is liable even if it is not at fault, for the pollution damage caused by the oil spill from its tanker in Singaporean waters, the MPA explained.
The authority stated: “The spirit of the ‘polluter pays’ principle simplifies the claims process by having a clear party against which to pursue claims without potential complications of proving fault.”
The owner of Marine Honour can seek recourse against third parties for its pollution liability, the MPA added.
Singaporean government agencies will seek compensation for the “cost of all measures taken to contain and clean up the spill, including where damage was caused to infrastructure” after the cleanup operation, the MPA said. “Costs for measures reasonably taken after the spill, resulting economic losses and environmental damage arising from the contamination can be assessed for claims,” it added.
Affected parties can email British Marine, the insurer of Marine Honour, at [email protected] for third-party claims.
On June 14, the Netherlands-flagged dredging boat Vox Maxima collided with Marine Honour at the Pasir Panjang Terminal, causing 400 tonnes of fuel to leak into the sea.
In a joint statement on June 20, Singaporean authorities stated that the beaches on St John’s, Lazarus, and Kusu islands have been cleared of oily sand as of 5 pm on June 19. The northern part of the Pasir Panjang Terminal has also been cleared of oil slicks.
The last time a significant amount of oil leaked into Singaporean waters was in 2014, when three ship collisions in January and February caused a total of 760 tonnes of fuel to pollute the country’s waters.
