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Maritime Accident News

Cosco Busan owner hit with $10 million fine

Posted on Feb 25, 2010

Fleet Management Ltd, the Hong Kong based owner of the ship responsible for the worst oil spill in San Francisco Bay history, has been ordered to pay a $10 million fine.

The U.S. District Court in San Francisco has ordered that $2 million of the total will fund San Francisco Bay marine research projects.

The Cosco Busan is the 901-foot container ship that struck a support tower of the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge in thick fog at 8:30 a.m. on November 7th, 2007. The ship scraped along a protective fender for 16 seconds, slicing open two fuel tanks like a can of sardines.

Nearly two years of legal wrangling went by before Fleet Management accepted responsibility for its role in the accident, pleading guilty to negligence in violating the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90). The management company also pled to obstruction of justice, making false statements to investigators, and falsifying documents.

The company has promised to implement a strict training voyage program for ships sailing to the U.S. Masters will be instructed on proper procedures for commanding vessels and all bridge officers will undergo shipboard management training.

53,500 gallons of heavy bunker oil spilled into the Bay, closing 50 beaches and oiling over 200 miles of shoreline. At least 2,500 birds were killed along with seals and other species of marine life.

Source: Marine Log

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