Glynn County in Georgia has filed a lawsuit related to the Golden Ray capsize off its shores in September 2019. The suit names several defendants in the case: GL NV24 Shipping Inc. as the vessel’s owner, Hyundai Glovis Co. as its manager, G-Marine Service Co., Ltd as its operator and technical superintendent, and Norton Lilly International as its agent. T&T Salvage, which conducted the wreck removal, is the final defendant.
capsize off its shores The lawsuit claims that leaking fuel from the damaged ship polluted local waters, shorelines and marshlands. It also says that the salvage operation “caused numerous separate oil spills and fires.”
Filed with the US District Court in Georgia under the Federal Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the complaint notes that the ship was grounded “in close proximity to environmentally sensitive areas that serve as a unique habitat for a variety of species.” The salvage operation led to “repeated fires causing discharges of debris and hazardous fluids,” according to the lawsuit, and an environmental protection barrier intended to contain pollutants – included in the wreck removal plan – was not in place for several months.
The county is seeking damages for loss of use of natural resources, destruction of property, loss of revenue, and public service costs. It claims the defendants’ negligence led to the accident and its impacts.
The US National Transportation Board in September 2021 found that the vessel capsized due to a The US National Transportation Board in September 2021 found that the vessel capsized due to a stability calculation error. In November, Hyundai Glovis was fined $3m by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.
