TasPorts is appealing a Federal Court preliminary decision on how much in damages it can receive in compensation in relation to the sinking of two tugs in the Mersey River in 2022.
The two tugs were sunk when they were struck by the bulk cement carrier Goliath, resulting in a massive, lengthy and expensive clean-up and recovery bill.
TasPorts has taken legal action against the ship’s owner CSL Australia after an Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation found the Goliath was manoeuvring with an incorrect steering setting when it collided with the tugs.
The cost of loss of the tugs, hire of replacement tugs, damage caused to the wharf and the cost of the environment and the clean-up, salvage and disposal of the tugs has been put at $22 million by TasPorts.
CSL lodged a limitation application with the Federal Court, which was upheld, limiting the payout to $15 million.
TasPorts has appealed the decision.
