Judgment on Appeal Affirmed by U.S. Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in favor of the owners of a tanker vessel involved in a major oil spill in the Port of Philadelphia. In a 7-2 majority decision, the Supreme Court upheld a $143 million damage award (primarily oil spill cleanup costs) to the vessel owner interests against the defendant petroleum terminal. $88 million of the award was allocated to the United States, which had earlier reimbursed the vessel owner interests that amount under provisions of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.
