The spill alarmed ecologists and animal lovers worldwide and heightened concerns that Ecuador is too lax in monitoring the islands, whose rich concentration of species inspired 19th century British naturalist Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection.

The superior court in the port city of Guayaquil ordered Terra Nova to pay Galapagos National Park $10 million for the damage suffered by the Galapagos marine reserve, court papers said.

The court threw out charges included in the suit against the boat's owner, Acotramar, and state oil subsidiary Petrocomercial, which face a criminal lawsuit in the case. Galapagos National Park filed the lawsuits after Terra Nova said its insurance policy for the Jessica was not valid at the time of the spill.

Most animals escaped the spill unscathed but a scientific study showed 62 percent of iguanas on one affected island died within the year, heightening fears that the accident's long-term effects have yet to be seen.

"The environmental costs caused by the Jessica can't be quantified. The most important thing is to set a precedent," Galapagos park director Eliecer Cruz told Reuters after the decision.

The islands, a U.N. World Heritage site since 1978, are home to sea lions, iguanas and giant tortoises.