Decision ID: 000902

In April 1998 the 1971 Fund Executive Committee noted that the spilled oil had entered the vessel’s manifold (part of the vessel’s cargo system), but before it had entered any cargo tank, the oil leaked from the end of the hose which was connected to the manifold and lying on the vessel’s deck. The Committee also noted that the P&I insurer had informed the Fund that oil was generally considered as cargo once it had entered the pipe of a ship through a loading arm on the port (jetty) side and that the master of the vessel had responsibility for the oil from that point. The Committee decided that the spilt oil should be considered as ‘cargo’ and that the incident therefore fell within the scope of the 1969 Civil Liability and 1971 Fund Conventions.

Date: 31.03.1998
Category: Application of the Conventions
Subject: Interpretation of 'carriage of oil in bulk as cargo' in Article I.1 of the 1969 and 1992 Civil Liability Conventions