Council urges tougher oil-spill fines

The Canterbury Regional Council wants tougher fines imposed for oil spills.

Prosecutor Phil Shamy told the Environment Court yesterday that it was six years since the tariff had been set and the council believed it was now time to "lift the bar" so companies did not look at fines as just another cost.

He sought total penalties of between $100,000 and $120,000 for two overseas companies charged over two oil spills into Lyttelton Harbour from the Panama ship Antares a few hours apart one night in September 2004, during bungled refuelling operations. The ship, on the way to Tasmania from Peru, made an emergency stop to refuel.

Before the court for sentencing were the Panama company Cometa United Corporation and Tradewood, a shipping company based in Naples, Italy.

Judge Jeffrey Smith said he would issue a written decision in a few weeks.

- NZPA