What has happened in the Indian Ocean provides confirmation that
increased payouts cannot come soon enough, and governments of
coastal states should enact any available increased limits in their
own jurisdiction without delay.
As the ecological and environmental disaster that has
resulted from the grounding of Wakashio unfolds in
Mauritius, questions are already being raised as to how this could
have happened.
But thoughts will ultimately turn towards compensation for those
who are cleaning up the mess and have suffered the consequences of
pollution from the vessel's bunkers.
The owners have been quoted as saying that they will respond
“in good faith” to any damages “in accordance
with applicable law”. However, this may not be as comforting
as it first seems.
