HNS Convention

This page contains background information on the HNS Convention.

Documents are added as time permits. The most recent amenments are marked with NEW! (click on the icon for one of the the most recent amendments).

Some files are in the .pdf format.

You can be notified by email when this page is changed by clicking here.

The contact person for the webpage is Professor Erik Røsæg.

Shortcuts to the topics on this page:

  • Ongoing international work
  • The HNS Convention, Protocol of 2010
  • The HNS Convention, 1996
  • Explanatory notes
  • Implementation State by State
  • IMO Legal Committe and other meetings
  • Correspondence groups leading up to the 2010 Protocol
  • From the press
  • Other materials

    Ongoing international work

  • Blog
  • HNS Convention Follow-up Chart
  • IMO HNS web site
  • IOPC Fund HNS web site

    The HNS Convention, Protocol of 2010
  • Texts of Covention of 1996 and Protocol of 2010
  • Preliminary version of the agreed text of the Protocol of 2010
  • IMO overview

    Diplomatic Conference

  • Agenda
  • Draft Protocol

    Preparatory Documents

  • LEG 95 Report
  • LEG 95 Working Paper on the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code and the Revised HNS Convention
  • LEG 95 draft text of Revised HNS Convention
  • LEG 95 draft text of Revised HNS Convention - consolidated version
  • LEG 95 paper on the definition of HNS in the Revised HNS Convention
  • Final Report of LEG 94 in respect of the HNS Convention
  • IMO Legal Committee Document Oct 2008 from the IOPC Funds on revision of the HNS Convention: Contributions to the LNG account
  • IMO Legal Committee Document Sept 2008 on revision of the HNS Convention: Contributions to the LNG account
  • IMO Legal Committee Document Sept 2008 on revision of the HNS Convention
  • GIIGNL Brochure
  • Report on the First Meeting of the Fifth Intersessional Working Group ('HNS Focus Group')
  • Record of Decisions of the Twelfth Session of the IOPCF '92 Assembly (page 20-22 and 26!)
  • Report of the 93rd session of the IMO Legal Committee Further documents can be found at the IOPC Document Server. A Correspondence Group on LNG has existed, but the correspondence is not available on Internet.

    The HNS Convention, 1996
  • Text of Convention
  • DipCon documents
  • IMO Document LEG 71/3/4
  • IMO's website for (other) official documents
  • Title of HNS Convention in French:"Convention internationale de 1996 sur la responsabilité et l'indemnisation pour les dommages liés au transport par mer de substances nocives et potentiellement dangereuses (SNPD)"
  • Title of HNS Convention in Spanish: "Convenio internacional sobre responsabilidad e indemnización de daños en relación con el transporte marítimo de sustancias nocivas y potencialmente peligrosas, 1996 (SNP)"

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    Explanatory notes

  • The 2010 HNS Convention: Why it is needed
  • The 2010 HNS Convention

  • HNS Convention implementation guide
  • HNS Convention overview, 1996
  • HNS Convention overview, 2010
  • HNS Guide
  • Example calculations that show how the HNS Points system works: Excel format (live - fill in your own figures) - pdf format
  • Provisional list of imported amounts of HNS
    See also papers from meeting in Ottawa 3-6 June, 2003

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    NEW!

    Implementation State by State

  • Norway first state to ratify HNS Protocol
  • The ratification of 12 states is necessary for the new instrument to enter into force (se details in the table below). On the procedure, see the information on the IMO webpage.
  • IMO status of Conventions
  • IMO Circular on entry into force.

    EU Member States

  • Authorization 2002 of EU Member States to ratify the HNS Convention
  • Council Decision (EU) 2017/769 of 25 April 2017 on the ratification and accession by Member States, in the interest of the European Union, 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, with the exception of the aspects related to judicial cooperation in civil matters
  • Council Decision (EU) 2017/770 of 25 April 2017 on the ratification and accession by Member States, in the interest of the European Union, 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, with regard to the aspects related to judicial cooperation in civil matters

  • Commitment of EU Member States to support the IMO Work
  • Potentially problematic EU law The following states have published implementation studies, etc:
  • Canadian implementing legislation
  • UK implementing legislation and discussion paper
  • Irish implementing legislation
  • Russian implementing legislation: Word format - pdf format
  • Proposal for implementing legislation drafted and commented by The Norwegian Maritime Law Committee (based on the original 1996 Convention) (in Norwegian; translation of the draft legislation here) and Norwegian Ministry of Justice draft legislation (based on the 2010 Protocol; in Norwegian)
  • Danish report and implementing legislation (in Danish; translation of the legislation here)
  • Proposal for Swedish implementing legislation (in Swedish)

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    IMO Legal Committe and other meetings

    Meeting in Ottawa 3-6 June, 2003 (first implemantation goahead)

  • Report of Ottawa meeting: Word format - pdf format
  • Overview of working papers from Ottawa meeting
  • Working papers from Ottawa meeting
  • PowerPoint presentation: The Interrelationship between the Maritime Liability Conventions (IOPC Fund)
  • PowerPoint presentation: The first tier (Norway)
  • PowerPoint presentation: Insurance Aspects of the HNS Convention (CEFIC)
  • PowerPoint presentation: National Regulations on Reporting Requirements and Industry Concerns – the UK experience to date (UK)
  • PowerPoint presentation: Preparations for Implementation of the HNS Convention in the Republic of Korea (Republic of Korea)

    Reports to the Legal Committee

  • Report from the Correspondence Group to the 80th session of the IMO Legal Committee
  • Report from the Correspondence Group to the 81st session of the IMO Legal Committee
  • Report from the Correspondence Group to the 82nd session of the IMO Legal Committee
  • Report from the Correspondence Group to the 83rd session of the IMO Legal Committee
  • Report from the Correspondence Group to the 84th session of the IMO Legal Committee
  • Report from the Correspondence Group to the 85th session of the IMO Legal Committee
  • Report from the Correspondence Group to the 86th session of the IMO Legal Committee
  • Report from the Correspondence Group to the 87th session of the IMO Legal Committee
  • Papers forwarded from the Correspondence Group to the 87th session of the IMO Legal Committee
  • Report from the Correspondence Group to the 88th session of the IMO Legal Committee
  • Report from the Correspondence Group to the 89th session of the IMO Legal Committee

    • Other

  • IMO Asembly resolution on HNSC implementation

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    Correspondence groups leading up to the 2010 Protocol

    See separate file

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    From the press

    See separate file

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    Other materials

    Insurance supervision
  • IMO Circular letter No.3145.pdf
  • LEG 87-11-1 Annex 2.pdf
  • LEG 100 report.pdf

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    Uninsured vessels

  • OECD: The removal of insurance from substandard shipping
  • Note on uninsured vessels: Word format - pdf format
  • The Norström Report
  • IOPC documents on pollution from ships without IACS Class/ International Group P&I insurance

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    SDRs

  • SDR valuation
  • What is an SDR?

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    Academic papers

    Further suggestions for entries are most welcome

  • Erik Røsæg: Non-collectable contributions to the separate LNG Account of the HNS Convention (from The Journal of International Maritime Law).
  • Meltem Deniz Güner: The Carriage of dangerous Goods by Sea
  • Derek McKinley: The 1996 International Convention on Liability and Compensation for the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea: Implications for State Parties, the Shipping, Cargo and Insurance Industries.
  • Philip R. Weems and Kevin D. Keenan: Is the LNG Industry Ready for Strict Liability? (from the LNG Journal)
  • Erik Røsæg on compulsory HNS insurance
  • Erik Røsæg on compulsory insurance
  • Erik Røsæg on the influence of insurance practices on legislation
  • Nigel Carden: The role of P&I Clubs in raising shipping standards

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    IOPC Fund (the HNS Fund administrator)

  • IOPC fund's HNS web page

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    Industry Contacts

  • CEFIC - European Chemical Industry Council
  • FECC - The European Association of Chemical Distributors
  • OCIMF - Oil Companies International Marine Forum
  • OGP - International Association of Oil & Gas Producers
  • WLPFGA - World LP Gas Association
  • Cedigaz
  • CLNG - Center for Liquefied Natural Gas
  • Japan LNG Corporation
  • GIIGNL -The International Group of Liquefied Natural Gas Importers

  • ICS - International Chamber of Shipping
  • INTERCARGO - International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners
  • INTERTANKO - The International Association of Independent Tanker Owners
  • ITOPF - International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation
  • International Parcel Tankers Organization

  • FETSA - Federation of European Tank Storage Associations
  • SIGTTO - Society of International Gas Tanker & Terminal Operators Ltd

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    Safety and safety concerns

  • Riley Law on LNG safety
  • Rabaska on LNG safety
  • NOW interview with Stephen Flynn
  • UNECE Dangerous Goods Page

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    Market information

  • British Petroleum Statistical Review of World Energy
  • Natural Gas Trade Movements
  • US Energy Information Administration on LNG
  • LNG importers
  • LNG exporters
  • Poten & Partners
  • WTO trade statistics
  • TradeMap

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    P&I Clubs and other insurance

    P&I and other insurance

  • International Group of P&I Clubs
  • Gard's Rules
  • Lloyd's of London home page
  • IUMI web page
  • Blue Card form
  • Alteranative Risk Transfer

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    Example information systems

  • Equasis
  • P&I club

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    Relevant European Union materials

  • EU directive on environmental liability
  • EU directive on the insurance of shipowners
  • Community vessel traffic monitoring and information system
  • EMSA HNS liability web page
  • EU competition decision on P&I clubs

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    CRTD Convention

  • Text of CRTD Convention
  • Working Group - background
  • Working Group - documents

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    Other conventions, etc

  • Basel Liability Protocol
  • LLMC: LLMC 1976 - LLMC 1996 Protocol
  • LLMC amendments 2012
  • Bunkers Liability Convention
  • CLC/FUND Conventions
  • CLC/FUND amendments 2000
  • 2003 amendments to the FUND Convention (third tier)
  • Convention on Civil Liability for Damage
    resulting from Activities Dangerous to the Environment
  • International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage resulting from the
    Exploration for, or Exploitation of, Submarine Mineral Resources
  • Nuclear liability - IAEA
  • Nuclear liability - NEA
  • International Law Commission's work on
    International Liability for Injurious Consequences
    arising out of Acts not Prohibited by International Law
  • Liability Protocol to the Antarctis Treaty System
  • IMO Guidelines on Shipowners' Responsibilities in Respect of Maritime Claims
  • On the "OPRC-HNS Protocol" (which is not a Protocol to the HNS Convention)
  • Small Tanker Oil Pollution Indemnification Agreement (STOPIA) and Tanker Oil Pollution Indemnification Agreement (TOPIA)
  • EU directive on environmental liability
  • EU directive on the insurance of shipowners
  • Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage Resulting from Exploration for and exploitation of Seabed Mineral Resources, 1976

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    Accidents

  • P&I analysis of of HNS incidents (2008)
  • Hazardous Material Incidents: Some Key Results of a Risk Analysis (by Arben Mullai and Everth Larsson; from International Symposium on Maritime Safety, Security and Environmental Protection September 20-21, 2007, Athens, Greece)
  • Texas City incident
  • List of HNS incidents
  • Chemical accidents (Cabinet d'Avocats, Jean-François Carlot)
  • CEDRE (Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution)

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