WRC update: Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks

Circular issued by International Group clubs

1. Previous circulars have informed members that the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks ("WRC") entered into force on 14 April 2015 and contained information about certification requirements.
2. Members are reminded of the requirement that vessels of 300 gt and greater that are registered in a WRC State Party or call at a port or offshore facility in a WRC State Party must carry on board a certificate attesting that insurance or other financial security is in force in accordance with the Convention. The certificate must be obtained from the State in which the ship is registered, providing that that State is party to the WRC.
3. Since the Convention entered into force on 14 April 2015, a number of States, including the Bahamas, Cyprus and Panama have become States Parties bringing the current number of WRC Parties to 25.
4. Ships registered in countries that are not party to the WRC may obtain WRC certificates from a relevant authority in a State Party, providing that State has accepted to issue such certificates in respect of such ships, e.g. Cook Islands, Cyprus, Germany, Liberia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Palau or the UK.
   Members are advised to check whether the authorities in the Flag State for such ships have agreements with any WRC State(s) concerning issuance of WRC certificates, and make timely applications for a WRC certificate from an appropriate State Party authority.
5. The Association maintains a list of the relevant electronic and postal addresses of State Party administrations for most WRC States Parties. There is a full list of States Parties at the end of this circular.

At the time of publication of this circular the WRC is in force in the following 25 States:

Status NAIROBI WRC 2007 (as at 17 December 2015)
Contracting States: 25
Date of entry into force: 14 April 2015

* denotes the 13 States that apply the WRC within their territory in accordance with Art.3.2 of the Convention

Note: The Wreck Removal Convention also applies by extension in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar and the Crown Dependency of the Isle of Man.

• denotes the States that have applied a Reservation in respect of LLMC 1976 Article 2 paragraph 1 (d) and (e) removing the right to limit liability for claims in respect of the raising, removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a ship which is sunk, wrecked or abandoned, including anything that is or has been board such ship and claims in respect of the removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of the cargo of the ship.

Note: the UK's LLMC Reservation applies by extension to the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar and the Crown Dependency of the Isle of Man.

All clubs in the International Group have issued a similar circular.