The owners, Salvors of Crude Oil Tanker MT New Diamond have agreed to pay Rs. 442 million to government stakeholders, according to a media release from the Attorney General’s Coordinating Officer State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne.
The owners initially agreed to pay Rs. 340 million but increased it following a request by Sri Lanka’s Attorney General (AG) Dappula de Livera. This included the cost incurred by the government to douse the fire on the crude oil tanker. “Ship owners - Salvors of the crude oil tanker MT New Diamond through their lawyers have informed the AG of their agreement to settle the government stakeholders’ claim for Rs. 442 million promptly,” Jayaratne told the media.
“The AG has also submitted an interim expert report by professors of five universities together with experts of National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) and Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) on marine pollution. The damage caused to the environment will be estimated,” Jayaratne said in an audio released to the media on Friday (25).
This claim for damages caused to the marine environment will also be sent to the owners of the vessel for settlement.
Jayaratne said MT New Diamond will be given a safe passage under the supervision of the Navy to exit from the exclusive economic zone of Sri Lanka. The New Diamond, with Kuwaiti oil, is currently 66 nautical miles (122 kilometres) away from Batticaloa in the East coast. The Panama flagged tanker was chartered by the Indian Oil Corporation.