The epic battle over the Nissos Amorgos oil spill in Venezuela 17 years ago appears to be drawing to a close.

The Gard protection-and-indemnity (P&I) club is discontinuing litigation over the tanker spill in the London courts in a move that points to it seeing little prospect of reversing rulings in favour of the International Oil Pollution Compensation (IOPC) Funds.

The Greek controlled, 86,400-dwt tanker Nissos Amorgos (built 1988) spilt a modest amount of crude in Venezuela’s Maracaibo Channel in February 1997, sparking one of the most protracted and determined pollution battles.

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