Evolution of Marine Oil Pollution Law in China

Abstract

Under the initiative of Maritime Silk Road, China Maritime Court is going through new judicial reform. This development will affect maritime legislation deeply, especially marine oil pollution law. China has made several laws, rules and regulations in the marine oil pollution area in the past thirty years. However, 

Under the initiative of Maritime Silk Road, China Maritime Court is going through new judicial reform. This development will affect maritime legislation deeply, especially marine oil pollution law. China has made several laws, rules and regulations in the marine oil pollution area in the past thirty years. However, there is no rule to hold polluter criminally responsible for the pollution act up to now in China, and we need to revise Criminal Law and China Maritime Code. The low efficiency of separate management of maritime affairs prevents the disputes from solving efficiently, for improving the old administrative management pattern, it’s wise to integrate the management departments and build joint-action mechanism as soon as possible. Oil spill damage could cause issues of jurisdiction in practice, it’s important to give the criminal jurisdiction of the admiralty court and hold the polluter criminally liable.