On 23 November 2002, the Maltese-registered Tasman Sea Oil Tanker collided with a Chinese cargo vessel 23 nautical miles east of the Tianjin Dagu Anchorage, triggering an oil spill. This incident seriously endangered the marine environment and caused the suspension of fishery activities the adjacent area. With the authorization from the State Oceanic Administration of China, Tianjin Oceanic Administration brought a law suit against the owner of the Tasman Sea, Infinity Shipping Co. Ltd and its insurer, the London Steam-ship Owners' Mutual Insurance Association Limited, seeking compensation for damage to the marine environment caused by the oil spill. The North Sea Monitoring Center of State Oceanic Administration of China, commissioned by the plaintiff, conducted investigation and evidence collection for five times, proving that the waters in the accident area were seriously polluted. Tianjin Maritime Court, in accordance with relevant Chinese laws and International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage 1992, ordered the two defendants jointly to make compensation to the plaintiff approximately RMB 7.5 million for loss of marine environmental capacity and RMB 2.5 million for the costs of investigation, monitoring, evaluation and research into biological restoration and the interests thereof.