Asia/Pacific News
Call For Change After Authorities Fail to Recover Cost of Bunker Spill
Authorities in New Zealand are calling for changes to its Resource Management Act (RMA) after a recent bunker spill case failed to collect full costs from the offending party.
As Ship & Bunker previously reported, Mobil Oil New Zealand (Mobil) last week was fined NZ$288,000 ($195,00) over a spill in April last year that happened during ex-pipe bunkering operations in Tauranga Harbour.
Mobil paid some NZ$1.8 million ($1.2 million) over the incident, including clean-up costs of NZ$1.187 million ($800,000), while 90 percent of the fine was also reported to have gone to the regional council.
Still, local media reports there was still a shortfall of NZ$90,000 ($61,000) with Bay of Plenty Regional Council pollution prevention manager Nick Zaman saying there was a "glaring gap" in legislation that prevented it from recovering costs totaling "at least NZ$350,000 ($238,000)" relating to investigation and prosecution.
Tauranga District Court Judge Jeff Smith was also reported to have said RMA constrained him from awarding more, and that a review of the act was needed.
Last week Ship & Bunker reported that Zaman said the fine sent "a very clear message to all these people operating in a high-risk environment that they need to keep on top of their game."
