New Zealand Oil Spill Ship Captain Charged

The cargo ship Rena ran aground off the port of Tauranga in New Zealand, and its captain has been charged with taking unnecessary risks. The accident is New Zealand’s worse environmental disaster in decades, with leaking oil hitting popular beaches and marine wildlife areas over the course of a week. The ship ran aground 5 October. Heavy swells continue to batter the grounded vessel, hampering salvage, and the ship contains more than 1300 containers including oil and some hazardous chemicals. Such accidents immediately contribute to political divide between environmentalists and business interests. Nations must decide on best practices to protect ocean waters – whether it’s feasible to impose and enforce strict regulations on cargo ships or whether it is more effective to charge an individual after irreparable damage is done. – YaleGlobal