The International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea (HNS Convention) was adopted in 1996.
The HNS Convention, which is largely based on the 1992 Civil Liability and Fund Conventions, establishes a two tier compensation regime, the first tier being paid by the shipowner and the second tier by an international fund (HNS Fund). During the preparations for its entry into force, it became clear that a number of states considered that there were serious obstacles to their ratification of the Convention and that the Convention would not enter into force in its original version. In order to eliminate these obstacles, a Diplomatic Conference held in April 2010 under the auspices of IMO adopted a protocol to the HNS Convention.
The discussion will focus on the following issues:
+ Contributions to the HNS Fund for packaged goods
+ Increase of liability limits for ships carrying packaged goods
+ Liability for contributions in respect of LNG cargoes
+ Sanctions against States that do not fulfil their obligation to report receipt of HNS cargoes
+ Insurance aspects
+ Prospects for the revised HNS Convention entering into force
+ Practical aspects of HNS spills and case study (including the MSC CHITRA, India)