IOPC Funds’ governing bodies adopt resolutions to raise awareness of the risk of uninsured or unsafe ships

The governing bodies of the IOPC Funds, at their November 2024 sessions, adopted Resolutions requesting specific actions of States Parties to the 1992 Civil Liability Convention (1992 CLC), the 1992 Fund Convention and the Supplementary Fund Protocol as well as flag and Port States.

During both the April and November 2024 sessions of the governing bodies, many delegations expressed great concern regarding the increasing transportation of oil  by unsafe and uninsured ships or by vessels whose insurance is not in compliance with Article VII of the 1992 CLC. It was considered that this practice undermines the safety and environmental standards developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as well as the international liability and compensation regime based on the 1992 CLC, the 1992 Fund Convention and the Supplementary Fund Protocol.

In response, the governing bodies considered the adoption of Resolutions as an urgent and important step in trying to address the issue and adopted 1992 Fund Assembly Resolution N^o14 and Supplementary Fund Assembly Resolution N^o6, as published in the Resolutions section of the IOPC Funds’ document services website.

The Director of the IOPC Funds, Gaute Sivertsen, takes this opportunity to urge all Member States to take note the text of the Resolutions in full and to respond positively and proactively to the specific action points requested of them in operative paragraphs 1 to 6. He also wishes to reassure Member States that the Secretariat will continue to work in support of the interests of the IOPC Funds and its Member States and to promote the use of insurers which provide coverage in full compliance with the requirements under Article VII of the 1992 CLC.