Prestige oil spill causing great harm to the local fishing industry. The spill is the largest environmental disaster in the history of both Spain and Portugal. The amount of oil spilled was more than the "Exxon Valdez" incident and the toxicity considered higher, because of the higher water temperatures. In 2007 the Southern District of New York dismissed a 2003 lawsuit by the Kingdom of Spain against the American Bureau of Shipping, the international classification society which had certified the "Prestige" as in compliance with rules and laws, because ABS was a "person" per the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution
Jakob Maersk oil spill drifted into the sea and about 15,000 tons came to shore due to the wind direction during the first few days. The explosion caused thick black smoke to rise. The ship burned for 58 continuous hours. There were reports of locals being affected by the fire that was caused but it did not escalate into serious effects or injuries. Containment of the oil spill began with the placement of a floating boom at the harbor entrance. A straw barrier was placed around the wreck to briefly contain the spill while boats spread dispersants.The owners of the ship and the Shell