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Dubai Star faces $10m US lawsuit |
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Thursday, 05 November 2009 |
 Owners of Dubai Star, the oil tanker that caused an oil spill in the San Francisco bay area, are facing a lawsuit for $10 million (Dh36.7m) by US fishermen and the owner of a local food processing company.
The suit filed by crab fisherman Mark Russo, herring fisherman Ron
Alioti, and Next Seafood Company owner Russell Robinette, seeks
compensation for alleged loss in business due to fall in fish prices as
people refused to buy fearing contamination from the oil spill. The
class action suit was filed in the San Francisco Federal Court.
Speaking to Emirates Business, Ram Moorthy, General Manager, Pioneer
Ship Management Services Company, the technical manager of Dubai Star,
said he is aware of the litigation and the company's attorneys in the
US are looking at the lawsuit. Fishing in the area was suspended
following the oil spill.
"We cannot give more information until the operations are over. We are
aware of the $10m lawsuit filed by fishermen in San Francisco. We have
our attorney there and our guys are on the work," Moorthy said.
Khamis Juma Bu Amin, CEO of Regional Clean Sea Organisation (Resco),
said: "We don't have details of the oil spill case. If there is an
environmental impact in US territorial waters, there are stringent
rules there. That can add to the total claims. However, the insurance
coverage will depend on whether the ship was carrying crude or bunker
oil FOB or CIS. These things will be decided only after thorough
investigation."
The defendants include Dubai Star, South Harmony Shipping, Pioneer Ship Management and Heidmar.
Source: Emirates Business
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