Osbourne Panama v. Shell & BP South African Petroleum Refineries Ltd. (The Olympic Action) - Appellate Division - 2 September 1982

Vessel’s collision with mooring buoy - liability for damages

The defendants were owners of the VLCC Olympic Action which, on 8 February 1976, collided with and damaged a single point mooring buoy (the SBM) in the sea off Durban. The first plaintiffs owned the SBM, which provided berthing facilities for tankers to enable them to discharge their cargo of oil without entering Durban harbour. The plaintiffs claimed damages against the defendants on the ground that the collision was caused by the negligence of the defendants’ servants in navigating the Olympic Action while the tanker was approaching the SBM with the intention of berthing her preparatory to discharging her cargo of oil. At first instance the judge found in favour of the first plaintiffs.