Owners of the two ships involved won't be able to pay full amount, says official
The cleanup of China's largest oil spill has almost been completed, mainland authorities said yesterday, as they announced that compensation would be sought from the owners of the two ships whose collision last week led to the 1,200-tonne slick.
A Guangdong Maritime Safety Department official in charge of the operation said most of the decontamination vessels had been withdrawn from the site of the slick near the mouth of the Pearl River.
Only about 10 ships were still taking part.
The owners of the two container ships involved in Tuesday's collision should be held responsible for compensation according to international practice, added an official from Guangdong's Oceanography and Fishing Bureau.
However, he said the amount sought would not be announced until an environmental impact assessment was complete. This would take at least two weeks.
