ECSA event on the HNS Convention

As part of a wide programme of events during the third European Shipping Week (17–21 February 2020), the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) organised an event focusing on the importance for European Union (EU) Member States to ratify the 2010 HNS Convention on 19 February in Brussels, Belgium.

ECSA invited the Director of the IOPC Funds, José Maura, and the Director of the Legal Affairs and External Relations Division, IMO, Frederick Kenney, to deliver a joint presentation on why the Convention is needed. The presentation included an overview of the existing international liability and compensation regime and how the HNS Convention is the last gap to be filled in the compensation regime for ship-source pollution. It also included a series of incident scenarios which highlighted the potential consequences of HNS incidents, making a case for the entry into force of the Convention a priority.

Following the presentation, the event heard speakers from industry stakeholders and EU Member States who discussed their experiences on ratifying the Convention or the preparations made so far towards ratification. Overall, the event was an opportunity for participants to obtain a better understanding of how the Convention will strengthen the international liability framework that is already in place.

Currently, five States have ratified the 2010 HNS Convention, of which one is an EU Member State: Canada, Denmark, Norway, South Africa and Turkey.

The IOPC Funds are working together with IMO to assist and encourage States to ratify this important Convention. To read more about the HNS Convention visit imo.org and hnsconvention.org.