Wakashio Spill Highlights Importance of Adopting Latest International Legal Instruments
The ongoing oil pollution incident from the grounded 203,000 DWT bulk carrier MV Wakashio is threatening an ecological catastrophe around the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, endangering corals, fish and other marine life already under threat from climate change (IPCC 2018).In addition, it risks bringing devastating consequences for the economy, food security, health and tourism industry. Tourism in Mauritius - a popular destination for its pristine beaches - reportedly contributed about $1.6 billion to its economy during the last year…
Bunker Convention to Enter Force in '08
The last significant gap in the international regime for compensating victims of oil spills from ships is set to be closed, with the entry into force on 21 November 2008 of an international treaty covering liability and compensation for pollution damage caused by spills of oil, when carried as fuel in ships' bunkers. Current regimes covering oil spills do not include bunker oil spills from vessels other than tankers. Criteria for entry into force of the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001 were met on 21 November 2007, following accession to the treaty by Sierra Leone. The Convention was adopted in 2001 by the International Maritime Organization (IMO)…