LAWYERS representing landowners of Kangava Bay, East Rennell, have served applications related to the 2019 oil spill to the accused companies based in Korea, the Caribbean, and Hong Kong.
This follows the High Court’s approval for the applications to be served out of jurisdiction.
Attorney General John Muria Junior confirmed this in Parliament on Tuesday when responding to a question from East Choiseul MP, Manasseh Sogavare.
He said Australia-based pro bono lawyers working on the case have officers in these jurisdictions assisting with the service process.
“We are waiting for them to file their appearance so we can proceed to the next stage,” Mr Muria said.
“The service out of jurisdiction is taking some time, but the process is underway,” he added.
The landowners of Kangava Bay have filed a compensation claim against several international companies alleged to be responsible for the 2019 oil spill — widely regarded as the country’s worst environmental disaster.
The claim, lodged in the High Court of Solomon Islands on 31 January 2025, represents a legal partnership between customary landowners and the Solomon Islands Government to seek damages for the environmental and economic impact of the spill.
The claimants — four customary landowners representing their tribal communities — are joined by the Solomon Islands Government, represented by the Attorney General, as co-claimant.
Rennell Island, the southernmost island in the Solomon Islands and home to the UNESCO-listed Lake Tegano, suffered major ecological damage when the MV Solomon Trader ran aground at Kangava Bay in February 2019 while loading bauxite ore for Bintan Mining Corporation.
The bulk carrier, which was carrying 10,850 tonnes of bauxite, 741 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, and 25 tonnes of diesel, drifted during severe weather and struck a reef. More than 300 tonnes of oil spilled into the marine environment, contaminating reefs, fishing grounds, and water sources.
Despite clean-up operations led by the Solomon Islands Government, Australia, and New Zealand, communities continue to experience reduced fish stocks and concerns about water quality six years after the disaster. No compensation has yet been paid to affected communities or to the government.
The legal team includes Primo Afeau Legal Services (PALS), the Pacific Legal Network, and international lawyers Harj Narulla and Frank Clarke SC.
The defendants named in the case include Hong Kong-based vessel owner King Trader Ltd, the vessel’s Korean P&I insurers, Bintan Mining Corporation (British Virgin Islands), and its Solomon Islands subsidiary, Bintan Mining SI Ltd.
The claimants argue that the defendants are liable for negligence and breaches of international marine pollution conventions. They are seeking compensation estimated between USD 30 million and USD 100 million.
Observers say the case could set an important precedent for environmental accountability and customary landowner rights in the Pacific, especially for companies involved in resource extraction and shipping.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
Solomon Star, Honiara
