Civil liability for oil pollution arising from the accident of the vessel «Prestige»

Abstract

Rulings from the Supreme Court regarding the civil liability arising from the accident of the vessel «Prestige» (January 14, 2016 and December 18, 2018) are here discussed, with regard to the responsible parties and the amounts that correspond to each claimant. Jurisdiction over the execution belong to the Provincial Court of A Coruña, whose decision of November 17, 2017, is partially in force, after being declared partially null by the ruling of the Supreme Court of December 18, 2018. These three rulings must be interpreted as a group, to know the scope and terms of the civil liability arising from this accident. It belongs also to the Provincial Court of A Coruña the competence to request the execution of the Spanish rulings in the United Kingdom if the P&I club of the vessel refuses to voluntarily pay 1,000 million dollars to which it was condemned by the Supreme Court.