Ratification of the Bunker Convention and Wreck Removal Convention, and Amendment of the Oil Pollution Act in Japan
The Japanese Diet has approved ratification of the ‘International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001’ (BC: Bunker Convention) and the ‘Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007’ (WRC: Wreck Removal Convention), and amended the ‘Act on Liability for Oil Pollution Damage’ (the Act) in order to reflect the provisions of the two conventions.
The amended Act will come into force by March 2020. After the Act does come into force, the following Japanese-flagged vessels will have to apply for financial security certificates under the conventions, and keep them on board:
| BC: | Japanese-flagged domestic or ocean-going vessels of 1,000 GT or more |
| WRC: | Japanese-flagged domestic or ocean-going vessels of 300 GT or more |
The application procedure for convention certificates will be determined by governmental and ministerial decrees. We will keep you updated on further developments.
We confirm that our insurance conditions and premiums/calls will not change as a result of this amended Act coming into force.