Goundar Shipping Ltd has been blasted by Environment Minister Mosese Bulitavu after a Government committee found that its sinking vessel, the Lomaiviti Princess II, leaked oil into Suva Harbour.
Authorities say the company had no valid waste disposal permits for any of its vessels.
The Joint Maritime Environment Committee found the fuel-laden ship had been abandoned and had been left to deteriorate since 2019, breaching key environmental laws.
Mr Bulitavu issued a stern warning to owners of derelict ships.
“There are no exemptions.”
He said Fiji’s ports won’t become “dumping grounds”.
“Upon investigation, (the committee) establishes that GSL does not hold a valid waste disposal permit for any of its vessels,” a statement by the committee said.
“This constitutes an unlawful act, considering the Lomaiviti Princess II (LP2) was carrying in bulk hazardous substances, which posed detrimental risks to the marine environment.
“Under Section 35 of the Act, facilities must not discharge any waste or pollutant into the environment unless issued with a permit. The LP2 had been carrying hazardous substances in bulk and remained inactive at Suva Harbour since 2019.”
Citing Section 45 of the Environmental Marine Act, the committee said there were serious consequences for such breaches including fines of up to $1million or three years’ imprisonment.
“Should GSL argue that they were not aware of their waste disposal permit obligations under EMA 2005, then Section 37 would apply where any damage caused to the environment through discharge of waste or pollutant from the facility, activity or undertaking, the body corporate is liable for remedial actions.”
The committee said GSL’s conduct amounted to negligence under common law principles, where as a shipowner, a high duty of care was owed to avoid foreseeable harm to others and the environment.
“GSL had a legal duty to exercise reasonable care in managing its vessel so as to prevent harm to the marine environment, other port users, and the public. They breached this duty by failing to act on repeated warnings and allowing the fuel-laden vessel to remain neglected.
“Further, their inaction was the direct and foreseeable cause of the oil spill, which caused tangible and confirmed environmental harm.”
Questions were sent to GSL managing director George Goundar yesterday for his comments on the matter.
