Tuesday Dec 24, 2024
Tuesday Dec 24, 2024
Saturday, 10 April 2021 00:28 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Asiri Fernando
The Attorney General (AG) has forwarded a marine pollution claim of Rs. 3.4 billion ($ 19 million) to the owners of the crude oil tanker ‘MT New Diamond’ that ran into technical problems in Sri Lankan waters last September via their lawyers for oil spill damages, an official said yesterday.
The Government was awaiting a final report by experts on the marine pollution caused by the incident. An oil leak from the vessel's engine room was detected during the firefighting and rescue operation, prompting Sri Lankan and Indian responders to spray chemical dispersants to break up the oil leak, which is suspected to be bunker fuel.
The final report on the settlement of compensation for the damages caused by the ‘MT New Diamond’ crude oil tanker was to be handed over to the Attorney General on Thursday, AG’s Coordination Officer State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said.
The MT New Diamond was 38 nm (70 km) off Sangamankada Point on the East Coast when the distress call was issued 3 September 2020. The 20-year-old Panamanian-registered supertanker (330 m long) was carrying a consignment of 270,000 MT of crude oil for the Indian Oil Company from a port in Kuwait to the Indian port of Paradip when the fire broke out.
The fire aboard the tanker was doused in a multinational operation led by the Sri Lankan Navy, with assistance from the Coast Guard, Air Force and Ports Authority, and aided by Indian Navy, Coast Guard and Tugs called in by the vessels, owners.
The Marine Environmental Protection Agency (MEPA) following a study established that that MT New Diamond has caused sea pollution and two interim payments for services rendered by Sri Lankan respondents were filed by the AG. The ship’s owners honoured the interim claims made by Sri Lanka. Following the vessel being declared safe to be towed, the MT New Diamond was towed by its owners to the UAE.
