2010 Protocol News

The ongoing oil pollution incident from the grounded 203,000 DWT bulk carrier MV Wakashio is threatening an ecological catastrophe around the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, endangering corals, fish and other marine life already under threat from climate change (IPCC 2018).In addition, it risks bringing devastating consequences for the economy, food security, health and tourism industry. Tourism in Mauritius - a popular destination for its pristine beaches - reportedly contributed about $1.6 billion to its economy during the last year…

International Maritime Organization (IMO) informed that South Africa has become the latest country to accede to a key compensation treaty covering the transport of hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) by ship.According to the UN body, when in force, the treaty will provide a regime of liability and compensation for damage caused by HNS cargoes transported by sea, including oil and chemicals, and covers not only pollution damage, but also the risks of fire and explosion, including loss of life or personal injury as well as loss of or damage to property.An HNS Fund will be established, to pay compensation once shipowner's liability is exhausted.

Two ratifications to a key compensation treaty covering the transport of hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) by ship have brought the instrument a step closer to entry into force. Canada and Turkey on Monday (23 April) deposited their instruments of ratification to the 2010 Protocol to the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea, 1996 (2010 HNS Convention). When in force, the treaty will provide a regime of liability and compensation for damage caused by HNS cargoes transported by sea, including oil and chemicals, and covers not only pollution damage, but also the risks of fire and explosion, including loss of life or personal injury as well as loss of or damage to property.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) – whose member national shipowner associations represent over 80% of the world merchant fleet, and the Comité Maritime International (CMI) – the international association for maritime lawyers, have released an updated brochure to promote the importance of governments ratifying international maritime conventions, especially those adopted by the UN IMO. The aim of the brochure ‘Promoting Maritime Treaty Ratification’ is to encourage more widespread ratification of some key maritime instruments that would benefit from a greater level of global acceptance. This includes a number of important instruments which have not yet received adequate ratifications from governments to enter into force globally.

European shipowners welcome the European Parliament’s adoption of the Recommendations on the 2010 Protocol to the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea 1996 in its Plenary-session this week. This provides the necessary consent required for the adoption of the Council Decisions authorising Member States to ratify or accede to this international agreement as appropriate. “We welcome this decision as we are now one step closer to the closure of the EU legislative process by the adoption of the Council Decision allowing for the Member States to ratify and accede to the Convention”, commented Patrick Verhoeven, European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) Secretary General.

In a joint position paper submitted by ECSA, ICS and BIMCO to EU member States’ maritime attachés, member States have been urged to ratify or accede to the Protocol of 2010 to the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea, 1996 (the 2010 Protocol). In its paper, ECSA, ICS and BIMCO highlight a number of reasons for their call to member States, including that a speedy ratification of the 2010 Protocol will establish an international regime for HNS damage, which will provide victims (claimants) of HNS damages with compensation on a very high level (i.e. 350 million USD / 310 million Euros per incident).

25th September, the Day when the World Maritime Day gets celebrated in Mumbai is an event well-known among the seafaring community and in the shipping and other related circles. Though other centers in India too have their own celebration but many make it a point to attend the one that is held at the Auditorium of the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) ( SCI is the national carrier) at Nariman Point, Mumbai. This year too saw a massive gathering as the day is used to focus attention on the importance of shipping safety, maritime security and the marine environment and to emphasize a particular aspect of IMO's work. As directed by the…

IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu has launched this year’s World Maritime Day theme, “IMO conventions: effective implementation”, expressing the hope that the year would see genuine progress towards effective and global implementation of all IMO conventions. Speaking at a reception to mark the launch of the theme, at the end of the first day of the first session of the Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC), Sekimizu said the theme provided an opportunity to shine a spotlight on those IMO treaty instruments which have not yet entered into force…

New Brochure highlights importance of FAL Convention, as IMO Facilitation Committee meets in London. A copy of the new ICS, ISF and CMI Campaign Brochure is attached, and contains additional information about the international Conventions to which this PR refers. The Comité Maritime International (CMI) – the international association for maritime lawyers – has joined forces with the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Shipping Federation (ISF) - which represent the operators of over 80% of the world merchant fleet - to promote those key international maritime Conventions which they believe are vital for governments to ratify and implement as soon as possible.