THE CARRIAGE OF OIL BY SEA AND APPLICABLE CIVIL LIABILITY REGIME

Abstract

The focus of this paper was to survey relevant literatures in carriage of goods contract and oil pollutionresponse of sea going vessels. It also discussed the liability and compensation regime available at Internationallaw, including voluntary schemes by tanker owners. The objective of the paper was to establish how oil iscarried by sea and to show how states and tanker owners are to respond in cases of escape of oil from tanker ortanker’s disaster in order to set limit of liability of tanker owners, jurisdiction and time to bring an actionamong other things. It is expected that timely response in cases of oil leakage, quick dispensation of litigationand prompt, adequate compensation and remediation works on the sea will be a win for all parties and riparianowners of the sea shores and coastal environment.