Decision ID: 003539

In October 2008 the 1992 Fund Executive Committee noted that the Incheon District Maritime Safety Tribunal had in September 2008 rendered a decision with regard to the cause of the incident. It was recalled that the Hebei Spirit had been struck by the crane barge Samsung No 1 while at anchor about five miles off Taean on the west coast of Korea and that the barge had been towed by two tugs (Samsung T-5 and Samsung T-3) when the tow line broke. It was also recalled that the crane barge and the two tugs had been owned and/or operated by Samsung Corporation and its subsidiary Samsung Heavy Industries. It was noted that the Tribunal had decided that the Samsung tugs and the Hebei Spirit were responsible for the collision. It was further noted that the Tribunal had found that the Master and the Duty Officer of the Hebei Spirit were also partly responsible for the collision. It was also noted that a number of defendants had appealed against the Tribunal’s decison.