According to the IMO, France was the seventh Contracting State 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, otherwise known as the HNS Convention.
Upon entry into force, the treaty will provide a regime of liability and compensation for damage caused by HNS cargoes transported by sea, including oil and chemicals. It 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.
For the Convention to enter into force, two criteria must be met:
- Ratification by 12 States, including four States each with not less than two million units of gross tonnage; and
- A total quantity of at least 40 million tonnes of contributing cargo. Current contributing cargo tonnage is approximately 17 million tonnes.
According to IMO, it is hoped that France’s deposit will act as an incentive for other western European States to ratify soon, thus fulfilling the HNS Convention’s entry into force requirements.
