Oil pollution - Collision
27.12.2017 |Articles
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On 7th December 2004, Vessel A collided with Vessel B in the water area in the vicinity of Dangan Island at the Pearl River Estuary, causing serious damages to both ships and resulting in the leakage of over 1200 tons of fuel oil from Vessel A. Our Mr. Xu Zu Yuan, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Communications of the P.R. China was designated as the leader of the group in charge of handling this accident. This accident was characterized by the Ministry of Communications of the P. R. China as the biggest pollution case caused by leakage of oil from ships occurring in Chinese water area since the foundation of P. R. China in 1949 to the year 2004.
After the accident, Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration (Guangdong MSA) and Guangdong Ocean and Fisheries Bureau lodged claims against both the ship owners of Vessel A and Vessel B respectively in respect of oil pollution cleaning-up costs and the environmental damage incurred from this oil pollution accident. In the meantime, the ship owner of Vessel A and that of Vessel B arrested the ships of each other and claimed against each other with regard to the loss arising from ships collision. The subject matter was about USD 22 millions in total. Lawyers of Huang & Huang Co. Law Firm handled this case for and on behalf of the ship owner of Vessel A and the ship’s P & I Club. The case is fully and finally settled with an indemnity of USD 2.25 million borne by Vessel A.
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