Decision ID: 003540

In October 2008 the 1992 Fund Executive Committee noted that the Criminal Court of Comodoro Rivadavia had carried out an investigation into the cause of an oil spill which had occurred in Caleta Córdoba in Argentina. It was noted that the Court had in March 2008 rendered a preliminary decision, finding that whilst the Presidente Umberto Arturo Illia (Presidente Illia) had been loading Escalante crude oil at a loading boy off Caleta Córdoba, an unknown quantity of the oil that was being loaded had entered the ballast system due to a fault in the ballast line and had subsequently been spilled emulsified with water during the deballasting process. It was further noted that the owner of the President Illia and his insurer had maintained that it is unlikely that the President Illia had caused the oil spill. It was also noted that appeals had been lodged against the decision.