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 adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to establish a comprehensive international legal framework for liability and compensation related to pollution damage caused by the escape or discharge of bunker oil from ships.
**Background – The Regulatory Gap:**
Prior to the Bunker Convention, the primary international instrument for oil pollution liability was the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage (CLC), 1969/1992. However, the CLC regime was specifically designed for and limited to pollution damage caused by **persistent oil carried as cargo or in the bunkers of oil tankers**. This created a significant regulatory gap: