A cap on insurance payouts will apply to the clean-up costs of the container ship Pacific Adventurer, which spilled 250 tonnes of oil off Queensland’s Moreton Island early this month.

Brian Glover, a claims director for UK protection and indemnity insurer Standard Club, has told the Courier Mail the ship’s policy has a limit of about $17 million.

He says four claims have been lodged against the ship’s owners and none have yet been paid.

While claims for damage will be easy to establish, claims of economic loss will take much longer as the ecological impact will first need to be identified.

Claims are likely to be lodged by fishing businesses – with local trawlers having to avoid the area during the peak king prawn season – and tourism operators.

A spokesman for the ship’s owner, Swire Shipping, told insuranceNEWS.com.au the issue is a matter between the insurers and the owner, and as yet they don’t have any information on claims.