WLPGA attends HNS Meetings in London
The WLPGA attended meetings in London during April as an observer to the discussions on the HNS Convention. WLPGA Director David Tyler and Yuki Ihaha, Secretary General of the Japan LP-Gas Association, participated in formal and informal meetings at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Headquarters during the week.
Over sixty countries were represented at the meetings - from Algeria to Venezuela. The WLPGA was one of several international Non-Government Organisations that attended the meetings. Other observer organisations included the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Group of P & I Associations.
Delegations from Japan and Türkiye made strong supportive interventions during the meetings to encourage the introduction of the 2010 HNS Convention.
Copies of the latest brochure explaining the benefits of the International Convention on Liability and compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious substances by Sea, 2010 (2010 HNS Convention) were made available during the week. The leaflet encourages States to take the next steps to implement and accede to the Convention.
The development of the brochure is the first in a series of tools to be developed to assist government administrations in their internal promotion of the Convention and aims to highlight the risk of HNS incidents and make ratification of the Convention a priority.
LPG is classified as one of the Hazardous and Noxious Substances covered by the 2010 HNS Convention.
- The transport of LPG by sea is a global trade (1,250 LPG ships in 2014 - source: Clarksons)
- Incidents do happen involving LPG ships
- Potential consequences of LPG shipping incidents can be significant and costly
- A comprehensive international compensation regime is missing
- The HNS Convention will fill that gap
- The HNS Convention is based on a long standing and successful oil pollution regime
The brochure can be downloaded from the publications page in English, French or Spanish. English versions of the brochure will be made available at the WLPGA meetings on the Gold Coast 17th - 18th May 2016.
To read more about the Convention visit www.imo.org and www.hnsconvention.org .
For more information on the HNS Convention contact David Tyler on dtyler@wlpga.org