LONDON P&I CLUB IS LIABLE FOR 2002 SINKING OF PRESTIGE

Spain's Supreme Court has ruled the London P&I Club has direct civil liability for the 2002 sinking of Prestige, which resulted in thousands of tonnes of fuel oil leaking into the sea, Lloyd’s List has reported. Prestige broke up off Spain’s north-western coast in 2002 after being shunned by ports in which it could have sought safety. The master of the vessel, Apostolos Mangouras, has now been sentenced to two years in prison. The London P&I Club’s policy for Prestige limits its liability to $1bn. The club said it was surprised at the court’s decision. “The London Club and the International Group Pool look forward to clarification and the opportunity to study the findings in more detail before making further comment,” the club said in a statement. The decision overturns the 2013 decision of a lower court in A Coruña in 2013, in which the master, chief engineer and a senior Spanish official were all cleared of environmental offences.