A US nuclear warship carrying nuclear warheads collided with a vessel off One Fathom Bank. One American sailor was killed and five injured. This has been borne out in several maritime accident simulation studies. The liability issues can serve as a test and challenge the degree of confidence and good faith of the countries involved in nuclear transport. It is instructive to note that the protection offered to victims of nuclear accidents by the 1962 Paris Convention on Third Party Liability in the Field of Nuclear Energy and the 1963 Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, compares poorly with the Convention on Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects.
Convention contains an exemption for radioactive substances.
The International Maritime Organisation is supposed to be a UN agency concerned with maritime safety. What is needed is unlimited and absolute state liability. Nuclear nations must be responsible and not put everyone else under high risk. It is time for the precautionary principles to be applied.