http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/21/section/175/2013-07-25Merchant Shipping Act 1995An Act to consolidate the Merchant Shipping Acts 1894 to 1994 and other enactments relating to merchant shipping.1995-07-19texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-04-20Expert Participation2013-07-25 Part VI Prevention of PollutionChapter IV International Oil PollutionCompensation Fund Compensation for persons suffering pollution damage Liability of the Fund.1751The Fund shall be liable for pollution damage in the territory of the United Kingdom if the person suffering the damage has been unable to obtain full compensation under section 153—abecause the discharge or escape, or the relevant threat of contamination, by reason of which the damage was caused—iresulted from an exceptional, inevitable and irresistible phenomenon, oriiwas due wholly to anything done or omitted to be done by another person (not being a servant or agent of the owner) with intent to do damage, oriiiwas due wholly to the negligence or wrongful act of a government or other authority in exercising its function of maintaining lights or other navigational aids for the maintenance of which it was responsible,(and because liability is accordingly wholly displaced by section 155), orbbecause the owner or guarantor liable for the damage cannot meet his obligations in full, orcbecause the damage exceeds the liability under section 153 as limited by section 157.2Subsection (1) above shall apply with the substitution for the words “United Kingdom” of the words “a Fund Convention country” where—athe headquarters of the Fund is for the time being in the United Kingdom, and proceedings under the Liability Convention for compensation for the pollution damage have been brought in a country which is not a Fund Convention country, orbthe incident has caused pollution damage in the territory of the United Kingdom and of another Fund Convention country, and proceedings under the Liability Convention for compensation for the pollution damage have been brought in a country which is not a Fund Convention country or in the United Kingdom.3Where the incident has caused pollution damage in the territory of the United Kingdom and of another country in respect of which the Liability Convention is in force, references in this section to the provisions of Chapter III of this Part shall include references to the corresponding provisions of the law of any country giving effect to the Liability Convention.4Where proceedings under the Liability Convention for compensation for pollution damage have been brought in a country which is not a Fund Convention country and the Fund is liable for that pollution damage by virtue of subsection (2)(a) above, references in this section to the provisions of Chapter III of this Part shall be treated as references to the corresponding provisions of the law of the country in which those proceedings were brought.5For the purposes of this section an owner or guarantor is to be treated as incapable of meeting his obligations if the obligations have not been met after all reasonable steps to pursue the legal remedies available have been taken.6Expenses reasonably incurred, and sacrifices reasonably made, by the owner voluntarily to prevent or minimise pollution damage shall be treated as pollution damage for the purposes of this section, and accordingly he shall be in the same position with respect to claims against the Fund under this section as if he had a claim in respect of liability under section 153.7The Fund shall incur no obligation under this section if—ait proves that the pollution damage—iresulted from an act of war, hostilities, civil war or insurrection, oriiwas caused by oil which has escaped or been discharged from a warship or other ship owned or operated by a State and used, at the time of the occurrence, only on Government non-commercial service, orbthe claimant cannot prove that the damage resulted from an occurrence involving a ship identified by him, or involving two or more ships one of which is identified by him.8If the Fund proves that the pollution damage resulted wholly or partly—afrom anything done or omitted to be done with intent to cause damage by the person who suffered the damage, orbfrom the negligence of that person,the Fund may (subject to subsection (10) below) be exonerated wholly or partly from its obligations to pay compensation to that person.9Where the liability under section 153 in respect of the pollution damage is limited to any extent by subsection (8) of that section, the Fund shall (subject to subsection (10) below) be exonerated to the same extent.10Subsections (8) and (9) above shall not apply where the pollution damage consists of the costs of preventive measures or any damage caused by such measures.S. 175 extended (with modifications) to Anguilla (30.11.1997) by S.I. 1997/2580, art. 2, Sch.S. 175 extended (with modifications) to Bermuda (30.11.1997) by S.I. 1997/2581, art. 2, Sch.S. 175 extended (with modifications) to the British Antarctic Territory (30.11.1997) by S.I. 1997/2582, art. 2, Sch.S. 175 extended (with modifications) to the British Indian Ocean Territory (30.11.1997) by S.I. 1997/2583, art. 2, Sch.S. 175 extended (with modifications) to the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oneo Islands (30.11.1997) by S.I. 1997/2585, arts. 2, 3, Sch.S. 175 extended (with modifications) to the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (30.11.1997) by S.I. 1997/2587, art. 2, Sch.S. 175 extended (with modifications) to South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (30.11.1997) by S.I. 1997/2588, art. 2, Sch.S. 175 extended (with modifications) to the Turks and Caicos Islands (30.11.1997) by S.I. 1997/2589, art. 2, Sch.S. 175 extended (with modifications) to the Virgin Islands (30.11.1997) by S.I. 1997/2590, art. 2, Sch.S. 175 extended (with modifications) to Jersey (1.12.1997) by S.I. 1997/2598, arts. 2, 3, Sch. 1S. 175 extended (with modifications) to Guernsey (11.3.1998) by S.I. 1998/260, arts. 2, 3, Sch. 1S. 175 extended (with modifications) to the Cayman Islands (20.5.1998) by S.I. 1998/1261, art. 2, Sch.S. 175 extended (with modifications) to Montserrat (20.5.1998) by S.I. 1998/1262, art. 2, Sch.S. 175 extended (with modifications) to Saint Helena (20.5.1998) by S.I. 1998/1263, art. 2, Sch.