To tell the extent of the shipowner’s liability to a bunker pollution claim, we should refer to the national law of a country which is always the definitive source of law. Some countries will make national law in order to implement provisions set in the international conventions when these countries have signed to ratify these international conventions.
For bunker pollution, there are several international conventions which provide liability regimes for non-tankers:
- International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage 2001
- Convention of Liability for Maritime Claims 1976
- 1996 Protocol to the Convention of Liability for Maritime Claims 1976
As advised, countries which have ratified these international conventions, will have their national law to implement its provisions, however sometimes with variations. Some countries impose stricter national legislation upon ships and shipowners.
Below is the calculation of the shipowner’s liability to a bunker pollution claim in accordance with the above 3 international convention:
International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage 2001
As at 31st January 2012, 66 countries have ratified the Bunker Convention 2001.
The International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution 2001 is designed to provide a system of compensation for the victims of oil pollution damage caused by bunker spills from non-tankers in the waters of a contracting state. Shipowners (defined as including registered owners, bareboat charterers, managers and operators) will have strict liability for pollution damage but will be entitled to limit that liability.
In accordance to Article 7 in the CLC 2001, it requires registered owner to maintain insurance to cover the liability of the registered owner for pollution damage in the amount equal to the limits of liability under the applicable national or international limitation regime, but not exceeding an amount calculated in accordance with the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims, 1976, as amended.
In fact the CLC 2001 includes no provisions on the limitation of liability but it will be calculated in accordance with the applicable national or international regime, i.e. an amount calculated in accordance with the Convention of Liability for Maritime Claims 1976 ( “LLMC” ), as amended by the 1996 protocol ( “1996 LLMC Protocol” ), where applicable. Therefore we should refer to LLMC 1976 and 1996 to assess the actual limit of liability.
Convention of Liability for Maritime Claims 1976
Article 6 (1)(a)(b) in LLMC 1976 states the calculation of limits of liability in respect of claims for loss of life, personal injury and other claims (including pollution) as follows:
(a) in respect of claims for loss of life or personal injury,
- 333,000 Units of Account for a ship with a tonnage not exceeding 500 tons,
- for a ship with a tonnage in excess thereof, the following amount in addition to that mentioned in (i):
- for each ton from 501 to 3,000 tons, 500 Units of Account;
- for each ton from 3,001 to 30,000 tons, 333 Units of Account;
- for each ton from 30,001 to 70,000 tons, 250 Units of Account; and
- for each ton in excess of 70,000 tons, 167 Units of Account.
(b) in respect of any other claims,
- 167,000 Units of Account for a ship with a tonnage not exceeding 500 tons,
- for a ship with a tonnage in excess thereof the following amount in addition to that mentioned in (i):
- for each ton from 501 to 30,000 tons, 167 Units of Account;
- for each ton from 30,001 to 70,000 tons, 125 Units of Account; and
- for each ton in excess of 70,000 tons, 83 Units of Account.
The “Units” herein the LLMC refers to “Special Drawing Right” . Therefore, for a vessel of 20,000 GT, the limit of liability should be calculated as follows:
< in respect of claims for loss of life or personal injury>
- First 500 tons → 333,000 SDR
- 501 ~ 3,000 tons → 500 SDR x 2,500 tons = 1,250,000 SDR
- 3,001 ~ 20,000 tons → 333 SDR x 17,000 tons = 5,661,000 SDR
- Total limit of liability = 7,244,000 (equivalent to USD 11,190,357 as at today’s exchange rate)
< in respect of any other claims>
- First 500 tons → 167,000 SDR
- 501 ~ 20,000 tons → 167 SDR x 19,500 tons = 3,256,500 SDR
- Total limit of liability = 3,423,500 (equivalent to USD 5,288,541 as at today’s exchange rate)
As at 31st January 2012, 64 countries regulate the right to limit liability in accordance with the LLMC 1976.
1996 Protocol to the Convention of Liability for Maritime Claims 1976
In 1996, a protocol to the LLMC 1976 was agreed to significantly increase the amount of compensation for loss of life, personal injury and other claims. Under the 1996 LLMC Protocol, the limit of liability for claims other than passenger claims for ships is calculation as follows:
(a) in respect of claims for loss of life or personal injury,
- (i) 2,000,000 Units of Account for a ship with a tonnage not exceeding 2,000 tons,
- (ii) for a ship with a tonnage in excess thereof, the following amount in addition to that mentioned in (i):
- for each ton from 2,001 to 30,000 tons, 800 Units of Account;
- for each ton from 30,001 to 70,000 tons, 600 Units of Account; and
- for each ton in excess of 70,000 tons, 400 Units of Account
(b) in respect of any other claims,
- (i) 1,000,000 Units of Account for a ship with a tonnage not exceeding 2,000 tons,
- (ii) for a ship with a tonnage in excess thereof, the following amount in addition to that mentioned in (i):
- for each ton from 2,001 to 30,000 tons, 400 Units of Account;
- for each ton from 30,001 to 70,000 tons, 300 Units of Account; and
- for each ton in excess of 70,000 tons, 200 Units of Account
Therefore, for a vessel of 20,000 GT, the limit of liability should be calculated as follows:
< in respect of claims for loss of life or personal injury>
- First 2,000 tons → 2,000,000 SDR
- 2,001 ~ 20,000 tons → 800 SDR x 18,000 tons = 14,400,000 SDR
- Total limit of liability = 16,400,000 (equivalent to USD 25,334,328 as at today’s exchange rate)
< in respect of any other claims>
- First 2,000 tons → 1,000,000 SDR
- 2,001 ~ 20,000 tons → 400 SDR x 18,000 tons = 7,200,000 SDR
- Total limit of liability = 8,200,000 (equivalent to USD 12,667,164 as at today’s exchange rate)
As at 31st January 2012, 46 countries have agreed to be bound by the Protocol 1996.
Conclusion
Based on the above calculation, if the incident occurred in a country which has ratified the above international conventions, the shipowner’s liability to claims arising from bunker pollution could be limited to the amount as calculated in accordance to their GT. In general, in a standard P&I cover provided by the 13 International Group Clubs, the limit of liability in respect of oil pollution is US$ 1 billion, which is much higher than the level of compensation required upon one shipowner following an oil pollution incident.
However, if a country has not ratified CLC 2001, then the shipowner of a non-tanker vessel may face claims where its liability is unlimited as has happened following the case of the “Tasman Spirit” in Pakistan in 2003.
We would like to remind shipowners that United States has an unilateral legislation in respect of pollution. New Federal oil pollution legislation permits individual states to enact their own legislation and gives them the ability to impose unlimited liability and take civil action against the polluter.
See attached file : ALCO20120016What level of limit is it enough to cover non-tanker owner’s liability to pollution incident.pdf
非油轮船东的船舶油污损害责任限制
提到船东燃油污染损害的责任限制，首先要了解相关国家的国内法（通常是最重要的法律渊源之一）。一些国家在参加国际公约后会制订相应的国内法，以落实国际公约条款的具体规定。
关于燃油污染损害，以下三部公约规范了非油轮船东的责任。
- 《2001年燃油污染损害民事责任国际公约》
- 《1976年海事赔偿责任限制公约》
- 《1976年海事赔偿责任限制公约1996年议定书》
之前我们已经提到，通常情况下各个国家在参加国际公约后会制订相应的国内法施行，但是也有例外。例如，有一些国家的国内法会提高其对所属船舶和船东的责任限制。
三项国际公约针对船东燃油污染损害责任的规定如下：
《2001年燃油污染损害民事责任国际公约》（以下简称《2001燃油公约》）
截止2012年1月31日，共有66个国家参加了《2001燃油公约》。
公约目的在于设立一套赔偿体系，以保护因非油轮船舶在公约会员国水域内发生燃油污染事故而遭受损失的受害者。 “船舶所有人” （系指船舶的所有人，包括船舶的登记所有人、光船承租人、管理人和经营人在内）适用严格责任，但可以享受责任限制。
《2001燃油公约》第7条规定：船舶的登记所有人，须进行保险以承担其污染损害责任，金额等于适用的国家或国际限制机制规定的责任限制，但在所有情况下均不应超过按照经修正的《1976年海事赔偿责任限制公约》所计算的数额。
实际上《2001燃油公约》本身没有具体责任限制的条款，只是规定责任限制按可适用的国内或国际规定计算。例如，按照《1976年海事赔偿责任限制公约1996年议定书》的规定计算责任限额。所以，关于具体的责任限制，我们需要提到《1976年海事赔偿责任限制公约》及其1996年议定书。
《1976年海事赔偿责任限制公约》
《1976年海事赔偿责任限制公约》第6条1款（a）(b)规定了人身伤亡和其它索赔（包括油污）责任限额的计算，具体如下：
(a) 有关人身伤亡的索赔：
- 凡吨位不超过500吨的船舶，为333,000计算单位；
- 凡吨位超过500吨的船舶，除第(i)项外，还应增加下列数额：
- 自501吨至3,000吨，每吨为500计算单位；
- 自3,001吨至30,000吨，每吨为333计算单位；
- 自30,001吨至70,000吨，每吨为250计算单位；
- 超过70,000吨，每吨为167计算单位。
(b) 有关其它方面的索赔：
- 凡吨位不超过500吨的船舶，为167,000计算单位；
- 凡吨位超过500吨的船舶，除第(i)项外，还应增加下列数额：
- 自501吨至30,000吨，每吨为167计算单位；
- 自30,001吨至70,000吨，每吨为125计算单位；
- 超过70,000吨，每吨为83计算单位。
《1976年海事赔偿责任限制公约》采用的计算单位是SDR(特别提款权)。一条2万总吨船舶的责任限制计算如下：
<人身伤亡索赔>
- 500吨 → 333,000SDR
- 501吨～3,000吨 → 500SDR x 2,500吨 = 1,250,000SDR
- 3,001吨～20,000吨 → 333SDR x 17,000吨 = 5,661,000SDR
- 总的责任限额 = 7,244,000SDR(按照当前汇率计算相当于11,190,357美元)
<其它方面的索赔>
- 500吨 → 167,000SDR
- 501吨～20,000吨 → 167SDR x 19,500吨 = 3,256,500SDR
- 总的责任限额 = 3,423,500SDR(按照当前汇率计算相当于5,288,541美元)
截止2012年1月31日，共有64个国家采用《1976年海事赔偿责任限制公约》规定的责任限制。
《1976年海事赔偿责任限制公约1996年议定书》
《1976年海事赔偿责任限制公约1996年议定书》大幅提高了人身伤亡和其它方面索赔金额。除船上旅客索赔外，责任限制计算如下：
(a) 有关人身伤亡的索赔
- 凡吨位不超过2,000总吨的船舶，为2,000,000计算单位
- 凡吨位超过2,000总吨的船舶，除第(i)项外，还应增加下列数额：
- 自2,001吨至30,000吨，每吨为800计算单位
- 自30,001吨至70,000吨，每吨为600计算单位
- 超过70,000吨，每吨为400计算单位
(b) 其它方面的索赔
- 凡吨位不超过2,000总吨的船舶，为1,000,000计算单位
- 凡吨位超过2,000总吨的船舶，除第(i)项外，还应增加下列数额：
- 自2,001吨至30,000吨，每吨为400计算单位
- 自30,001吨至70,000吨，每吨为300计算单位
- 超过70,000吨，每吨为200计算单位
2万总吨船舶，责任限制计算如下：
<人身伤亡索赔>
- 2,000吨 → 2,000,000SDR
- 2,001吨～20,000吨 → 800SDR x 18,000吨 = 14,400,000SDR
- 总的责任限额 = 16,400,000SDR(按照当前汇率计算相当于25,334,328美元)
<其它方面的索赔>
- 2,000吨 → 1,000,000SDR
- 2,001吨～20,000吨 → 400SDR x 18,000吨 = 7,200,000SDR
- 总的责任限额 = 8,200,000SDR(按照当前汇率计算相当于12,667,164美元)
截止2012年1月31日，共有46个国家采用《1976年海事赔偿责任限制公约1996年议定书》规定的责任限制。
总结
综上，如果燃油污染责任事故发生在制订相应国内法施行三项国际公约的国家，那么船东的责任限额根据船舶总吨计算。国际保赔协会集团下13家国际保赔协会的保单通常规定的油污责任限额是10亿美金，远远高于船东发生油污事故可能面临的索赔。
但是，如果该国家没有参加《2001年燃油污染损害民事责任国际公约》（即燃油公约），那么非油轮船东可能面临与2003年 “Tasman Spirit” 号船舶在巴基斯塔一样的境地，即不受责任限制保护。
我们想在此提醒船东注意美国关于油污损害的单边立法。美国联邦政府油污损害立法允许各州制订独立的法律，追究油污责任人责任，且责任人可能不能享受责任限制的保护。
以上由 ANDREW LIU & CO.,LTD 编译，应以英文为准！
详细信息请参阅附件。
