Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks will be in force effectively as of April 14th 2015, which will lead to new regulations that shipowners must take into consideration.
The main goal of the Convention is to bring greater sense of responsibility into shipowners by placing financial penalties for polluting seas with certain kind of hazards. The financial restrictions aim to stimulate shipowners to remove wrecks and to popularize insurances.
According to the Danish Maritime Authority (DMA), the new Convention will make Danish ship companies to reconsider new insurance products and the implementation of new regulating standards, because every owner of a ship of or more than 20 GT should be able to take the financial liability of removing any possible wrecks out of the sea. These new standards should oblige for all types of vessels-commercial, passengers, fishing etc.
Further more, for vessels over 300 GT will become obligatory to carry on board a certain certificate, proving the ship is ensured. Such practice has already been set in action in few countries among which are Germany, Morocco, Nigeria, Palau, Great Britain, Bulgaria, Congo, Cook Islands, India, Iran and Denmark.
If such certificate is not available, the ship may be detained, the requirement is valid for all Danish ports and inland stations.
Being the 10th country which joins the Convention, DMA required all shipowners of vessels above 20 GT to apply for certificates and get ensured for wrecks removal before the deadline - April 14th 2015.
Source & Image: DMA