Exam Question

### Background and Relevance of the Bunker Convention, 2001
The International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001 (Bunker Convention) was established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to create a uniform international legal framework for addressing liability and compensation for pollution damage caused by the escape or discharge of bunker oil from ships.
**Background:**
Prior to this convention, a significant regulatory gap existed in international maritime law. Existing conventions, notably the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, 1992 (CLC '92), primarily addressed pollution incidents involving persistent oil carried as cargo or bunkers by oil tankers. However, environmental and economic damage from spills of bunker fuel from non-tanker vessels (such as container ships, bulk carriers, and passenger ships) was a growing concern.