Environment

Focus on environmental protection continues to increase - transportation technology is going “greener” and the shipping industry is expected to follow. Discussions have traditionally focussed on accidental oil spills, which can cause damage to physical property and assets, ecosystems and natural habitats.  More recently, the focus has expanded to include the production of waste, air pollution and damage to the environment caused by invasive aquatic species carried in the ballast water of ships. A breach of regulations may give rise to substantial fines and increasingly, criminal charges may be brought against officers and crew, shore-based personnel and the company itself. This topic aims to help by highlighting environmental liability issues commonly encountered by Gard.