Tears of Paradise in the Kuroshio Current - The "WAKASHIO" stranding accident off Mauritius and the challenges of the compensation system (July 2020)
On July 25, 2020, the Panamanian-flagged large cargo ship "WAKASHIO" ran aground off the coast of Mauritius, spilling approximately 1,000 tons of fuel oil. It caused serious damage to coral reefs and marine ecosystems. The hull was subsequently broken up, making full recovery extremely difficult.
The Bunker Convention is applicable to oil spills caused by cargo ships, but compared to the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPCF) for oil tankers, the maximum amount of compensation is lower, and the problem emerged that adequate compensation was not received. The shipowner, Choshiki Kisen Kaisha, and the charterer, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, were held responsible for the accident, but because the current system limits the amount of compensation, the government of Mauritius is seeking additional compensation.
This accident has led to calls for strengthening the compensation framework for oil spills caused by cargo ships and for the establishment of a new international fund.
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