The 2010 HNS Convention establishes the first international compensation regime for accidents involving hazardous and noxious substances carried by sea.
The International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea (2010 HNS Convention) is set to enter into force on 29 November 2027, marking a milestone for shipping’s global liability and compensation regime as increasing volumes of chemicals and alternative fuels are transported by sea.
The conditions for the treaty’s entry into force were met on 29 May 2026, paving the way for the 2010 HNS Convention (the 1996 Convention as amended by the 2010 Protocol) to enter into force 18 months later.
“The fulfilment of the conditions for the entry into force of the HNS Protocol is a long-awaited milestone that closes an important gap in the international liability and compensation regime for shipping,” said IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez. (....)