CIVIL LIABILITY FOR SHIPS’ OIL POLLUTION DAMAGE: THE ROLE OF STATES IN ESTABLISHING GLOBAL UNIFIED RULES

Abstract

The issues of civil liability resulting from oil spills at sea have been concerned by the global community and given international regulations. Those international regulations are adopted by international agreements and conventions under the auspices of the International Maritime Organiation (IMO). Among major purposes of international agreements and conventions is to establish uniform rules and procedures for oil pollution on a global scale. Nevertheless, some influential maritime States are not fully participating in the relevant international agreements. Such attitude could jeopardie the common endeavor to achieve uniformity of the law on oil pollution on a global scale. This paper will analye the role of states in achieving uniformity. For that purpose, the author will analye the background of relevant international agreements, conventions; scrutinied reasons for as well as challenges of limited participation of the United States of America; and studying national initiatives of USA with particular focus on OPA 1990. Probably, we could realie the importance of collective and full participation of States in order to achieve uniformity purpose of international agreements and conventions.