Page 15 - IB February 2025

Environment Environment

KANGAVA COMMUNITY DEMANDS

JUSTICE FOR 2019 OIL SPILL

By Aisha Azeemah loading onto the MV Solomon Trader. This visit was not the
first time the MV Solomon Trader had arrived at Rennell for
The customary landowners of Kangava Bay in the Solomon this purpose.”
Islands have filed a claim with the Solomon Islands High Court On February 3rd, the Solomon Islands Meteorological
for damages caused by a 2019 oil spill, the worst of its kind Services issued a strong wind warning for the area. The MV
in the nation. The claim was filed jointly with the Solomon Solomon Trader was reportedly still loading the bauxite ore
Islands Government on 31 January 2025. at this time, anchored in deeper waters close to the reef off
Barrister at Doughty Street Chambers in London, Harj Kangava Bay.
Narulla, said: “This case is one of the worst environmental Weather conditions worsened by February 4th, causing the
disasters in Pacific history.” MV Solomon Trader to drag its anchor, eventually running
Narulla is acting for the claimants alongside Primo Afeau aground on the reef at Kangava Bay on the morning of
legal services lawyer, William Kadi, and international lawyers February 5th. At the time of its grounding, the MV Solomon
John Ridgway and Dirk Heinz from the Pacific Legal Network, Trader was reportedly carrying 10,850 tonnes of bauxite ore,
as well as international counsel Frank Clarke. 741 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, and 25 tonnes of diesel.
“The customary landowners and Solomon Islands “This continued swell and wind and what we allege were
Government are owed millions of dollars in compensation attempts by crew and persons involved with mining operations
for the catastrophic harm that they have suffered from the at Rennell to remove the MV Solomon Trader by tugboat
Rennell Island oil spill. Our clients continue to live with the between 6th – 10th of February 2019 further pushed the MV
daily impact of this disaster and have waited six long years for Solomon Trader onto the reef, significantly damaging the
the corporations responsible to be held accountable. By filing portside hull,” the PLN brief reports.
today’s landmark case, we will ensure that justice delayed is “On the 15th of February 2019, a sheen of hydrocarbons
not justice denied,” Narulla said. was observed adjacent to the MV Solomon Trader.
In February 2019, a bulk carrier ran aground in Kangava Bay, Progressively more oil was observed from drone overflights
off Rennell Island during adverse weather. The MV Solomon on 20th and 21st of February 2019, with a major oil spill
Trader was carrying 10,850 tonnes of bauxite ore for a mining observed on 22nd February 2019.
operation run by Bintan Mining Corporation (BMC) and its “Estimates are that more than 300 tonnes of heavy fuel oil
Solomon Islands subsidiary, Bintan Mining Solomon Islands were discharged from the wrecked ship before the oil leak
(BMSI). was sealed, toxifying the reef and surrounding marine and
According to reports, in or around 2015, Asia Pacific shore environments.”
Investment Development (APID) was awarded a mining lease Following the spill, Islands Business reported on an
over a tenement of land on the western side of Rennell undertaking by the Solomon Islands Government to establish a
Island, the southernmost island of the Solomon Islands group. marine pollution fund to respond to such incidents, allegations
APID, a Chinese-owned Solomon Islands-based company, by landowners that they had not received sufficient royalties
subcontracted BMC and BMSI to carry out the mining for the mining of their land, and the role of the crisis in the
operations. national elections of that year.
A brief prepared by Pacific Legal Network (PLN) states: The legal basis of the claim will be established relying on
“Standard practice during the mining years was to use an a mixture of claims for damages under the local laws of the
excavator to load clumps of raw bauxite onto barges for Solomon Islands and recognised international conventions,
transport to a waiting cargo vessel moored beyond the reef in for the allocation of liability and compensation for pollution
Kangava Bay,” noting the area largely lacks safe access points events caused by large shipping vessels.
for large vessels. The landowners and communities most affected by the
“Following this standard practice, the vessel MV Solomon spill are represented by tribal, community elders and youth
Trader had arrived in Kangava Bay on 26 January 2019 and, in representatives—Anthony Tamaika, Derek Pongi, Tony Kagovai
the days leading up to the grounding, barges of raw bauxite and James Tipaka.
were being transported from the shore at Kangava Bay for Local Chief of Lughu Ward, Kangava Bay and Spokesperson

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