“桑吉号”油污损害赔偿适用海事赔偿责任限制的分析

Identification of the Limitation of Liability for Oil Pollution Claims——A Case Study of Sanchi

海事赔偿责任限制(LLMC)基金是为了最大限度保护责任人,减少责任人损失,而对其所应承担责任进行总额限制的特殊责任基金。"桑吉号"所载货油性质特殊,若其被定性为非持久性货油则存在适用LLMC的可能。作为"桑吉号"油污损害的受害方,我国应尽可能地避免适用LLMC制度。LLMC基金的范围由法律直接规定,只有属于限制性债权范围的损害赔偿请求,权利人才可以申请责任限制。"桑吉号"非持久性货油污染赔偿请求权通过法律解释方法,存在排除适用LLMC的空间。对该问题理论的研究,暴露出我国法律对于非持久性货油油污损害赔偿规定的空白与不足。此次"桑吉号"案件,必将推动我国LLMC制度的完善与油污污染损害赔偿规范的发展。

The aim of the LLMC （ Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims ） is to limit responsible party＇s duty through limiting the sum of compensation. There are possibilities that the claims for oil pollution of Sanchi will be limited by LLMC if its cargo be considered as non-persistent oil. As the injured party of the accident, China should avoid these possibilities coming into being. The scope of LLMC is stipulated directly by the law, and one claim can be restricted within LLMC only when it belongs to the scope of the claims for damages. However, there is room for the claims of non-persistent oil pollution of Sanchi to be excluded from LLMC through legal interpretation method. There are some gaps and shortage of laws which about the compensation for non-persistent cargo oil pollution damage being revealed by the analysis of the issue. The Sanchi case will certainly promote the improvement of domestic law of LLMC and complete the law of compensation for oil pollution damage.