Action Item: The U.S. Coast Guard published a Final Rule
increasing limits of liability for vessels, deepwater ports, and
onshore facilities under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 ("OPA
90"). The raise in liability limits also increases the amount
of financial responsibility that vessels owners/operators are
required to maintain and provide evidence of to operate in the
United States. Owners/operators of vessels, deepwater ports, and
onshore facilities should be aware of the new liability limits
applicable to their operations and vessel owners/operators should
begin the process of increasing evidence of financial
responsibility amounts.
New Development
On November 19, 2015, the U.S. Coast Guard published a Final
Rule that increases limits of liability for vessels, deepwater
ports, and onshore facilities under OPA 90. For vessels, the Final
Rule increases limits of liability by about ten percent. The raise
in liability limits reflects significant increases in the
