Americas News
Bunker Spill Vessel Operator Fails to Appear for Court
Greece-based Alassia NewShips Management Inc. (Alassia) - the operator of the MV Marathassa, the vessel connected to the 2015 bunker spill in the port of Vancouver, Canada - failed to appear in court in British Columbia to face charges related to the pollution, Canadian media reports.
As previously reported by Ship & Bunker, on April 8, 2015 Marathassa spilled 2,700 litres of HFO into Vancouver's English Bay, with the bulk carrier and shipowner Alassia now facing charges in relation to the spill.
A lawyer representing Alassia is reported to have previously filed an application for a federal judicial review on the grounds that Canadian authorities had failed to properly serve the related summonses, but a judge found that the request should be redirected to the Supreme Court in British Columbia.
Peter Swanson, a lawyer for Alassia, has told Canadian media that he was not in a position to comment on why Alassia did not appear.
The next court date related to the case is set for June 1.
At the time, the spill gained considerable media attention, particularly in relation to what some viewed as a botched oil spill response by authorities.
