15. Rights of third parties against insurers
Feedback & supportWhere it is alleged that the owner of a ship has incurred a liability under section 3 as a result of any discharge or escape of oil occurring while there was in force a contract of insurance or other security to which such a certificate as is mentioned in section 13 relates, proceedings to enforce a claim in respect of the liability may be brought against the person who provided the insurance or other security (referred to in this section as the insurer).
owner
“owner”, in relation to a ship, means the person registered as the owner of the ship, or, in the absence of registration, the person owning the ship, except that, in relation to a ship owned by a State which is operated by a person registered as the ship’s operator, it means the person registered as the operator;
The insurer may limit his liability in respect of claims made against him by virtue of this section in like manner and to the same extent as the owner may limit his liability but the insurer may do so whether or not the discharge or escape occurred without the owner’s actual fault or privity.
Where the owner and the insurer each apply to the Court for the limitation of his liability, any sum paid into Court in pursuance of either application shall be treated as paid also in pursuance of the other.