TIANJIN, Feb. 29 (Xinhua) — More than 1,300 fishermen and seafood farmers have won compensation of more than 6 million yuan (about 850,000 U.S. dollars) after a five-year lawsuit over a major oil spill caused by a Maltese-flagged tanker in the Bohai Bay in northern China.
The award, to be shared among 1,327 people, against Infinity Shipping Co. Ltd., arises from legal action that began at the end of 2002. A total of 1,512 fishermen and seafood farmers filed 10 cases involving claims of 170 million yuan, the Tianjin Maritime Court said.
The Tasman Sea tanker, run by a British shipping company and carrying 80,000 tons of crude oil, collided with a Chinese cargo ship in the eastern Dagukou area on Nov. 23, 2002. The collision resulted in a huge oil spill and widespread sea and coastal pollution, causing great losses to more than 2,500 fishing and seafood farming households.
The affected households demanded compensation of 23 million yuan 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.
The Tianjin Maritime Court ruled that the British company should 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.
Verdicts in seven cases were upheld but another one was rejected by the Tianjin Municipal Higher People’s Court in the second trial.
The other two cases are still awaiting trial.
However, the plaintiffs did not receive their compensation within the designated time. They said that they had no alternative but to ask the Tianjin Maritime Court last March to enforce the verdicts.
The Tianjin Maritime Court got a 2 million U.S. dollar guaranty from the shipping company’s insurer before the Spring Festival, which fell on Feb. 7. The money, used for compensation, had reached the plaintiffs.
Under common practice, compensation would be paid to the remaining plaintiffs after all the cases were resolved, the court said.