Maryland seeks $100m from Evergreen to cover costs related to Ever Forward grounding
The State of Maryland has asked Taiwanese liner Evergreen to establish a so-called responsibility fund to pay for costs related to the month-long grounding of its Ever Forward vessel in the state’s Chesapeake Bay.
vessel in the state’s Chesapeake Bay.In a letter to Benjamin Tsai, president of Evergreen Shipping Agency (America) Corporation, Maryland comptroller Peter Franchot said, “While we do not know the full scope of the environmental impact thus far, a 131,420-ton ship, carrying tons of cargo and fuel, getting stuck in our waters undoubtedly has resulted in disruptions to the Bay’s fragile ecosystem.”
Franchot asked the company to set up a $100m fund to cover the environment-related costs, as well as economic costs, in particular for the seafood industry.
“The damage that this incident has already caused – and could potentially continue to cause – will require financial resources to correct,” he said.
Regarding the dredging undertaken to help free the ship, Franchot wrote: “While this may have been a necessary action, among its potential consequences include damage to oyster beds and disruptions to the spawning season for several species that our seafood industry – already struggling economically due to labor shortages – will harvest in the coming months.”
Franchot said money from the fund would potentially compensate workers in the seafood industry if they are impacted, and pay the cost of labor for employees from federal, state and local agencies involved in refloating the ship.
“The establishment of this fund will send a clear message that Evergreen is a good faith actor,” he said, that “understands the environmental and economic damage this incident has caused to the state of Maryland.”
My god what world are we living in and this despite the fact there was an American Pilot on board charged with the responsibilty of taking the vessel safely out to sea.
The pilot was on board and had control but he was not responsible. The captain/master is 100% responsible and always has the power to override the pilot. The pilot will loss his job but will not be held responsible in any other way.
How utterly shameless of the little politicians of the state of Maryland.
I hope Evergreen and their P&I Club treat this attempt at blackmail with the contempt it deserves.
When Mr Franchot is able to spare the time to tell us all how dredging to maintain the deep water channel is innocuous, but dredging on a far smaller scale to free a grounded ship is environmental vandalism, I am sure we will be happy to learn from him.
Let me offer a few quotes.
From REPORT ON PILOTAGE IN THE UNITED STATES
By Captain Michael R. Watson,
President, American Pilots’ Association
August 31, 2005
QUOTE: There is another aspect to the need to stay in front of technology. We cannot let
those who do not have our best interests at heart create the false impression that pilots are
lost on the bridges of modern ships and, because they don’t understand today’s shipboard
navigation equipment, must assume a new, lesser role of safety monitor.
In that respect,
LET ME BE CLEAR , THAT PILOTS ARE NOT SIMPLY AN EXTRA SET OF EYES ON THE BRIDGE OF SHIPS , AS I HAVE HEARD SUGGESTED IN SOME INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS.
OUR JOB IS TO D I R E C T !!! AND C O N T R O L !!! THE NAVIFGATION OF THE SHIP TO
P R E V E N T !!!! ACCIDENTS AND UNSAFE OPERATIONS , and pilots must have the technological knowledge to do that. END QUOTE. Full text of this speech can be found under this link : https://cms3.revize.com/revize/americanpilots/document_center/Captain_Watson_Speech_to_Canadian_Maritime_Pilots_Association_8_31_05.pdf
Also from the link : https://www.americanpilots.org/pilotage_in_the_u_s/index.php
QUOTE:
In the United States, compulsory pilotage is considered navigation safety regulation. Although the state pilot is not an employee of the government or the port, the pilot performs a PUBLIC service in which the pilot is expected to PROTECT!!!!!! the waters where he or she operates by PREVENTING!!!! ships from engaging in unsafe operations. END QUOTE
PandI Standard Club, Pilotage Bulletin under section United States of America offers also some very interesting information but too long to quote but can be found in here : https://www.standard-club.com/fileadmin/uploads/standardclub/Documents/Import/publications/bulletins/2016/2136806-pilotage-bulletin-may-2016.pdf
Some…direction, control of ships and protection of waters and shores of USA one has seen recently from foreign invasion of incompetence.
So …who is to set up a fund of 100 mil usd ???? as i am a bit confused.
Is this not the Maritime Pilots fought?
We have not heard publicly the results from the NTSB investigation, but one factor not understood here was that there was an international pilot directing the Ever Forward, not a Maryland Chrsapeake Bay Pilot.
The ungroundring operatoon is likely a contract with Evergreen shipping, I would hope the ships papers have been seized to be retirned once paid.
The State of Maryland will need to sue for damages, and to do so will need to survey for the inviromental and economic impact for evidence.
An example of this will be the cost of cleaning the antifouling paint that transferred from the ships hull to the reef.
The State of Maryland should start the cleaning process now.
Any expressions publically by politicians are for appearances only as there already is a process for financial, environmental and economic impact using international admiralty law.