Water Pollution Liability

Obligations of shipowners for water polluted by spills from their ships. If a ship discharges oil or other polluting or hazardous substances into the water, the shipowner is responsible either for removing them, paying for their removal, or, if the substances cannot be removed, paying a fine. Following passage of the Water Quality Improvement Act of 1970 establishing the liability of shipowners, marine underwriters formed the Water Quality Insurance Syndicate to provide insurance.