For five long years a lawsuit was going on over a major oil spill caused by a Maltese-flagged tanker in the Bohai Bay in northern China. At last more than 1,300 fishermen and seafood farmers have won compensation of nearly US$ 850,000. The award is going to be shared among 1327 people. It goes against Infinity Shipping Co. Ltd. when a total of 1,512 fishermen and seafood farmers filed 10 cases involving claims of 170 million yuan, explained the Tianjin Maritime Court.
A british shipping company run the Tasman Sea tanker that carried 80,000 tons of crude oil and collided with a Chinese cargo ship in the eastern Dagukou area on November 23, 2002. The collision causes huge oil spill and widespread sea and coastal pollution that resulted to a loss of more than 2,500 fishing and seafood farming households. The affected householders demand for compensation from the Tasman Sea’s British owner and its insurer, claiming that the polluted spot was the main area where fish laid their eggs in winter.
After two years of trial the Tianjin Maritime Court gave verdict and asked the British company to pay the plaintiffs 42.09 million yuan for the 10 cases in the first trial on Dec. 30, 2004. But the defendant appealed the ruling. The court upheld the verdicts of seven cases and rejected one in the second trial. Still the two cases are awaiting trial.
As a guaranty the Tianjin Maritime Court got a 2 million U.S. dollar from the shipping company’s insurer. The money has reached the plaintiffs, which is not dome in normal cases.
