MV Marevia Carriage of Electronic and Toxic Waste: Legality or Illegality of Penalty Imposed and Its Implications on Maritime Commerce

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Date

2015

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Faculty of Law, Benson Idahosa University, Benin City

Abstract

Abstract On the 5th January, 2013 a Merchant Vessel by name M.V Marevia sailed through the sea from the United Kingdom to the Nigerian Maritime domain specifically to unload certain cargoes at the Nigerian port of Lagos. The Nigerian port security agents namely, Customs, State Security Services (SSS), Nigerian Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, etc. that were on ground to enforce various Nigerian laws regulating importation of dangerous cargo, arms and ammunition and other destructive devices detained the M.V Marevia Vessel for the importation of containers containing toxic materials which were considered dangerous to human health. In its reaction to discourage the importation of dangerous goods, the Federal Government of Nigeria awarded a sum of USD 1 million against the ship owner. This paper argues that in as much as the importation of dangerous cargo is prohibited under the relevant Nigerian law, the penalty imposed against the vessel owner lacks legal support and it will not promote maritime commerce. Therefore, this paper examines the various Nigerian laws with the aim of bringing out penalties for such occurrence and urges the government to amend the laws in order to meet the test of time.

Description

Toxic Waste

Keywords

Carriage, Toxic, (IL)Legality, Penalty, Maritime, Commerce

Citation

2 (1)

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