Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks – Further Ratifications

As Members will be aware from Notice to Members Nos. 14 and 19 2014/2015, the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks (“WRC”) enters into force on 14 April 2015. 

Two more States have now become parties to the Convention, Liberia and Antigua and Barbuda. It will be recalled that States must specifically extend the application of the Convention to their territorial sea, otherwise the Convention will apply in the exclusive economic zone but not the territorial sea.  Both Liberia and Antigua and Barbuda have done so.

Ships flying the flags of a State which is party to the Convention must obtain their WRC certificates from their own registry and this now includes those vessels registered in Liberia and Antigua and Barbuda.

A copy of the letter from the Liberian Registry including relevant contact details can be found here WOE Insurance Services: Luxembourg. Similar details from Antigua and Barbuda have not yet been received but the website can be found at the Antigua & Bermuda Ship & Yacht Registry.

Ships flagged in non-party States must obtain their certificates from a relevant authority in a State Party. Details of States willing to assist in this regard were set out in Notice to Members No.19 2014/2015 but The Cook Islands, which ratified the Convention on 22 December 2014, has advised that they have agreed to issue WRC certificates to any vessel entered in an IG Club that is flagged in a non-party State. Liberia will do likewise.

The following is an updated list of those States Parties for whom the WRC will enter into force on 14 April 2015:

Wreck Removal Convention States

* denotes the States that have notified IMO that the scope of the Convention will apply to the territorial sea.

+ denotes the States willing to assist in issuing certificates to ships registered in a non-party State.