Key Benefits:
Original text
(State on 27 September 2012)
The Contracting Governments,
Desiring to establish by common accord the principles and uniform rules to safeguard human life at sea,
Whereas the best way to achieve this goal is to conclude a convention to replace the 1960 International Convention for the Protection of Human Life at Sea 2 , in order to take account of developments since its conclusion,
Agreed to the following:
(a) The Contracting Governments undertake to give effect to the provisions of this Convention and its Annex 1 , which shall form an integral part of this Convention. Any reference to this Convention shall at the same time constitute a reference to the Annex.
(b) The Contracting Governments undertake to enact all laws, decrees, orders and regulations and to take all other necessary measures to give the Convention its full and full effect, in order to ensure that, from the point of view of the Protection of human life, a ship is suitable for the service to which it is intended.
1 Not published in the RO, the text of this Annex and its amendments are not included in this compendium. (See RO 1984 256, 1985 1606, 1987 1050, 1990 595,596, 1993 2513, 1997 464). Copies can be obtained from the OFCL, Sales of Federal Publications, 3003 Berne.
This Convention shall apply to ships which are entitled to fly the flag of a State of which the Government is a Contracting Government.
Each Contracting Government undertakes to communicate and file with the Secretary-General of the Intergovernmental Consultative Organization for Maritime Navigation (hereinafter referred to as " the Organization):
(a) A ship that is not subject, at the time of departure for any voyage, to the requirements of this Convention shall not be required to comply with these requirements by reason of any diversion during its proposed voyage, if Is caused by bad weather or by any other cause of force majeure.
(b) Persons who are on board a ship by reason of force majeure or as a result of the obligation of the master to transport either shipwrecked persons or other persons shall not be taken into account when they are Verify the application to the ship of any requirement of this Convention.
(a) To ensure the evacuation of persons for the purpose of removing them from a threat to the security of their lives, a Contracting Government may authorize the carriage on its ships of a number of persons above the permitted number of persons Under this Convention.
(b) Such authorization shall not deprive other Contracting Governments of any right of control exercised under this Convention on such ships, when such ships are in their ports.
(c) Notification of any such authorization shall be addressed to the Secretary-General of the Organization by the Government which has granted it, together with a report on the factual circumstances.
(a) This Convention replaces and repeals between Contracting Governments the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea signed in London on 17 June 1960.
(b) All other treaties, conventions or agreements relating to the protection of human life at sea or the matters relating thereto and which are currently in force between the Governments Parties to this Convention shall retain their full And full effect for the duration assigned to them with respect to:
(c) However, to the extent that such treaties, conventions or agreements are in conflict with the requirements of this Convention, these latter requirements shall prevail.
(d) All matters which are not expressly prescribed in this Convention shall remain subject to the laws of the Contracting Governments.
Where, in accordance with this Convention, special rules are established by agreement between all Contracting Governments, or between certain Contracting Governments, such rules shall be communicated to the Secretary-General of the Organization in view To have them held by all Contracting Governments.
(a) This Convention may be amended by any of the procedures defined in the following paragraphs.
(b) Amendments following consideration by the Organization:
(c) Conference amendment:
(e) Except as expressly provided otherwise, any amendment to this Convention made pursuant to this Article and which relates to the structure of the ship shall apply only to vessels whose keel has been laid or which are at a stage Equivalent to the date of entry into force of this amendment, or after that date.
(f) Any declaration of acceptance or objection relating to an amendment or notification communicated under subparagraph (vii) (2) of subs. (b) of this article shall be addressed in writing to the Secretary-General of the Organization. It shall inform all the Contracting Governments of that communication and of the date on which it has received it.
(g) The Secretary-General of the Organization shall inform all Contracting Governments of any amendments that come into force under this Article and of the date on which each amendment enters into force.
(a) This Convention shall remain open for signature at the headquarters of the Organization of the Er November 1974 to 1 Er July 1975, and then remains open for accession. States may become Parties to this Convention by:
(b) The ratification, acceptance, approval or accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument to that effect with the Secretary-General of the Organization.
(c) The Secretary-General of the Organization shall inform the Governments of all States which have signed or acceded to this Convention of any signature or of the deposit of any instrument of ratification, acceptance of approval or accession and of The date of the deposit.
(a) This Convention shall enter into force twelve months after the date on which at least twenty-five States whose merchant fleets account for a total of 50 per cent of the total number of States. At least 100 per cent of the gross tonnage of the world fleet of commercial vessels have become Parties to the Convention in accordance with the provisions of Art. IX.
(b) Any instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession deposited after the date of entry into force of this Convention shall take effect three months after the date of deposit.
(c) Any instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession deposited after the date on which an amendment to this Convention is deemed to have been accepted in accordance with Art. VIII applies to the Convention in its amended form.
(a) This Convention may be terminated by any of the Contracting Government at any time after the expiration of a period of five years from the date on which the Convention enters into force for that Government.
(b) Denunciation shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of denunciation with the Secretary-General of the Organization. It shall notify all other Contracting Governments of any denunciation received and the date of its receipt, as well as the date on which the denunciation takes effect.
(c) Denunciation shall take effect one year after the date on which the Secretary-General of the Organization has received notification thereof, or upon the expiration of such other longer period specified in the instrument of denunciation.
(a) This Convention shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the Organization who shall send certified copies to the Governments of all States that have signed or acceded to the Convention.
(b) Upon entry into force of this Convention, its text shall be transmitted by the Secretary-General of the Organization to the Secretary-General of the United Nations to be registered and published in accordance with Art. 102 of the United Nations Charter 1 .
This Convention shall be established in a single copy in the English, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish languages, each text being equally authentic. Official translations are made in German, Arabic and Italian, which are deposited with the original copy bearing signatures.
In witness whereof , the undersigned, duly authorized to that effect by their Governments, have signed this Convention.
Done at London this first November of November, nine hundred and seventy.
(Suivent signatures)
States Parties |
Ratification Accession (A) Declaration of succession (S) Signature without reservation of ratification (If) |
Entry into force |
||
South Africa |
23 May |
1980 A |
25 May |
1980 |
Albania |
7 June |
2004 A |
7 September |
2004 |
Algeria |
3 November |
1983 A |
3 February |
1984 |
Germany |
26 March |
1979 |
25 May |
1980 |
Angola |
3 October |
1991 A |
3 January |
1992 |
Antigua and Barbuda |
February 9 |
1987 A |
9 May |
1987 |
Saudi Arabia |
24 April |
1985 A |
24 July |
1985 |
Argentina |
5 December |
1979 |
25 May |
1980 |
Australia |
August 17 |
1983 A |
17 November |
1983 |
Austria |
27 May |
1988 A |
August 27 |
1988 |
Azerbaijan |
1 Er July |
1997 A |
1 Er October |
1997 |
Bahamas |
February 16 |
1979 A |
25 May |
1980 |
Bahrain |
21 October |
1985 A |
21 January |
1986 |
Bangladesh |
6 November |
1981 A |
February 6 |
1982 |
Barbados |
1 Er September |
1982 A |
1 Er December |
1982 |
Belarus |
7 January |
1994 A |
7 April |
1994 |
Belgium |
24 September |
1979 |
25 May |
1980 |
Belize |
2 April |
1991 A |
July 2 |
1991 |
Benin |
1 Er November |
1985 A |
1 Er February |
1986 |
Bolivia |
4 June |
1999 A |
4 September |
1999 |
Brazil |
22 May |
1980 A |
25 May |
1980 |
Brunei |
23 October |
1986 A |
23 January |
1987 |
Bulgaria |
2 November |
1983 |
2 February |
1984 |
Cambodia |
28 November |
1994 A |
28 February |
1995 |
Cameroon |
14 May |
1984 A |
August 14 |
1984 |
Canada |
8 May |
1978 A |
25 May |
1980 |
Cape Verde |
28 April |
1977 A |
25 May |
1980 |
Chile |
28 March |
1980 |
25 May |
1980 |
China |
7 January |
1980 |
25 May |
1980 |
Hong Kong A |
5 June |
1997 |
1 Er July |
1997 |
Macao B |
10 December |
1999 |
20 December |
1999 |
Cyprus |
11 October |
1985 A |
11 January |
1986 |
Colombia |
October 31 |
1980 A |
31 January |
1981 |
Comoros |
22 November |
2000 A |
22 February |
2001 |
Congo (Brazzaville) |
10 September |
1985 |
10 December |
1985 |
Congo, Kinshasa |
17 December |
2004 A |
March 17 |
2005 |
Korea (North) |
1 Er May |
1985 A |
1 Er August |
1985 |
Korea (South) |
31 December |
1980 |
March 31 |
1981 |
Costa Rica |
6 June |
2011 A |
September 6 |
2011 |
Côte d' Ivoire |
5 October |
1987 A |
5 January |
1988 |
Croatia |
27 July |
1992 S |
8 October |
1991 |
Cuba |
19 June |
1992 A |
19 September |
1992 |
Denmark |
8 March |
1978 |
25 May |
1980 |
Djibouti |
1 Er March |
1984 A |
1 Er June |
1984 |
Dominica |
21 June |
2000 A |
21 September |
2000 |
Egypt |
4 September |
1981 |
4 December |
1981 |
United Arab Emirates |
15 December |
1983 A |
15 March |
1984 |
Ecuador |
28 May |
1982 A |
August 28 |
1982 |
Eritrea |
22 April |
1996 A |
July 22 |
1996 |
Spain |
September 5 |
1978 |
25 May |
1980 |
Estonia |
16 December |
1991 A |
March 16 |
1992 |
United States |
7 September |
1978 |
25 May |
1980 |
Ethiopia |
18 July |
1985 A |
18 October |
1985 |
Fiji |
March 4 |
1983 A |
4 June |
1983 |
Finland |
21 November |
1980 A |
21 February |
1981 |
France * |
25 May |
1977 |
25 May |
1980 |
Gabon |
21 January |
1982 A |
April 21 |
1982 |
Gambia |
1 Er November |
1991 A |
1 Er February |
1992 |
Georgia |
19 April |
1994 A |
19 July |
1994 |
Ghana |
19 May |
1983 |
19 August |
1983 |
Greece |
12 May |
1980 |
25 May |
1980 |
Grenada |
28 June |
2004 |
28 September |
2004 |
Guatemala |
20 October |
1982 A |
20 January |
1983 |
Guinea |
19 January |
1981 A |
19 April |
1981 |
Equatorial Guinea |
24 April |
1996 A |
24 July |
1996 |
Guyana |
10 December |
1997 A |
10 March |
1998 |
Haiti |
April 6 |
1989 A |
July 6 |
1989 |
Honduras |
24 September |
1985 A |
24 December |
1985 |
Hungary |
9 January |
1980 |
25 May |
1980 |
Cook Islands |
30 June |
2003 A |
September 30 |
2003 |
Marshall Islands |
April 26 |
1988 A |
26 July |
1988 |
India |
June 16 |
1976 A |
25 May |
1980 |
Indonesia |
17 February |
1981 |
17 May |
1981 |
Iran |
17 October |
1994 |
17 January |
1995 |
Iraq |
14 December |
1990 A |
March 14 |
1991 |
Ireland |
29 November |
1983 A |
29 February |
1984 |
Iceland |
July 6 |
1983 |
6 October |
1983 |
Israel |
15 May |
1979 |
25 May |
1980 |
Italy |
11 June |
1980 A |
11 September |
1980 |
Jamaica |
14 October |
1983 A |
14 January |
1984 |
Japan |
15 May |
1980 A |
25 May |
1980 |
Jordan |
7 August |
1985 A |
7 November |
1985 |
Kazakhstan |
7 March |
1994 A |
7 June |
1994 |
Kenya |
July 21 |
1999 A |
21 October |
1999 |
Kiribati |
5 February |
2007 A |
5 May |
2007 |
Kuwait |
29 June |
1979 A |
25 May |
1980 |
Latvia |
20 May |
1992 A |
August 20 |
1992 |
Lebanon |
29 November |
1983 A |
29 February |
1984 |
Liberia |
14 November |
1977 |
25 May |
1980 |
Libya |
July 2 |
1981 A |
2 October |
1981 |
Lithuania |
4 December |
1991 A |
March 4 |
1992 |
Luxembourg |
February 14 |
1991 A |
14 May |
1991 |
Madagascar |
7 March |
1996 A |
7 June |
1996 |
Malaysia |
19 October |
1983 A |
19 January |
1984 |
Malawi |
March 9 |
1993 A |
9 June |
1993 |
Maldives |
14 January |
1981 A |
April 14 |
1981 |
Malta |
8 August |
1986 A |
8 November |
1986 |
Morocco |
28 June |
1990 A |
28 September |
1990 |
Mauritius |
1 Er February |
1988 A |
1 Er May |
1988 |
Mauritania |
24 November |
1997 A |
24 February |
1998 |
Mexico |
28 March |
1977 |
25 May |
1980 |
Moldova |
11 October |
2005 A |
11 January |
2006 |
Monaco |
1 Er November |
1974 Si |
25 May |
1980 |
Mongolia |
26 June |
2002 A |
26 September |
2002 |
Montenegro |
10 February |
2009 S |
3 June |
2006 |
Mozambique |
December 23 |
1996 A |
23 March |
1997 |
Myanmar |
11 November |
1987 A |
February 11 |
1988 |
Namibia |
27 November |
2000 A |
February 27 |
2001 |
Nicaragua |
17 December |
2004 A |
March 17 |
2005 |
Nigeria |
7 May |
1981 A |
7 August |
1981 |
Niue |
27 June |
2012 A |
27 September |
2012 |
Norway |
February 15 |
1977 |
25 May |
1980 |
New Zealand C |
23 February |
1990 A |
23 May |
1990 |
Oman |
April 25 |
1985 A |
July 25 |
1985 |
Pakistan |
10 April |
1985 A |
10 July |
1985 |
Palau |
29 September |
2011 |
29 December |
2011 |
Panama |
March 9 |
1978 A |
25 May |
1980 |
Papua New Guinea |
12 November |
1980 A |
12 February |
1981 |
Paraguay |
15 June |
2004 A |
September 15 |
2004 |
Netherlands D |
10 July |
1978 A |
25 May |
1980 |
Aruba |
24 December |
1995 |
1 Er January |
1986 |
Curaçao |
10 July |
1978 |
25 May |
1980 |
Caribbean (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba) |
10 July |
1978 |
25 May |
1980 |
Sint Maarten |
10 July |
1978 |
25 May |
1980 |
Peru |
4 December |
1979 A |
25 May |
1980 |
Philippines |
15 December |
1981 A |
15 March |
1982 |
Portugal |
7 November |
1983 |
7 February |
1984 |
Poland |
15 March |
1984 |
15 June |
1984 |
Qatar |
22 December |
1980 A |
22 March |
1981 |
Dominican Republic |
10 April |
1980 A |
25 May |
1980 |
Czech Republic |
19 October |
1993 S |
1 Er January |
1993 |
Romania |
24 May |
1979 A |
25 May |
1980 |
United Kingdom |
7 October |
1977 |
25 May |
1980 |
Anguilla |
19 May |
2004 |
19 May |
2004 |
Alderney |
19 May |
2004 |
19 May |
2004 |
Bermuda |
8 June |
1988 |
23 June |
1988 |
Gibraltar |
1 Er November |
1988 |
1 Er December |
1988 |
Guernsey |
30 January |
2004 |
30 January |
2004 |
Isle of Man |
April 9 |
1985 |
1 Er July |
1985 |
Cayman Islands |
9 May |
1988 |
23 June |
1988 |
Falkland Islands |
30 January |
2004 |
30 January |
2004 |
Turks and Caicos Islands |
7 July |
2004 |
7 July |
2004 |
British Virgin Islands |
10 June |
2004 |
10 June |
2004 |
Jersey |
30 January |
2004 |
30 January |
2004 |
Montserrat |
19 May |
2004 |
19 May |
2004 |
St. Helena |
10 June |
2004 |
10 June |
2004 |
Russia |
9 January |
1980 |
25 May |
1980 |
Saint Lucia |
20 May |
2004 A |
August 20 |
2004 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis |
11 June |
2004 A |
11 September |
2004 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
28 October |
1983 A |
28 January |
1984 |
Solomon Islands |
30 June |
2004 A |
September 30 |
2004 |
Samoa |
March 14 |
1997 A |
14 June |
1997 |
Sao Tome and Principe |
29 October |
1998 A |
29 January |
1999 |
Senegal |
16 January |
1997 A |
April 16 |
1997 |
Serbia |
11 June |
1979 |
25 May |
1980 |
Seychelles |
10 May |
1988 A |
10 August |
1988 |
Sierra Leone |
13 August |
1993 A |
13 November |
1993 |
Singapore |
March 16 |
1981 A |
June 16 |
1981 |
Slovakia |
30 January |
1995 S |
1 Er January |
1993 |
Slovenia |
12 November |
1992 S |
25 June |
1991 |
Sudan |
15 May |
1990 A |
August 15 |
1990 |
Sri Lanka |
August 30 |
1983 A |
30 November |
1983 |
Sweden |
7 July |
1978 |
25 May |
1980 |
Switzerland |
1 Er October |
1981 |
1 Er January |
1982 |
Suriname |
4 November |
1988 A |
4 February |
1989 |
Syria |
July 20 |
2001 A |
20 October |
2001 |
Tanzania |
28 March |
2001 A |
28 June |
2001 |
Thailand |
18 December |
1984 A |
18 March |
1985 |
Togo |
19 July |
1989 A |
19 October |
1989 |
Tonga |
12 April |
1977 A |
25 May |
1980 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
February 15 |
1979 A |
25 May |
1980 |
Tunisia |
August 6 |
1980 A |
6 November |
1980 |
Turkmenistan |
4 February |
2009 A |
4 May |
2009 |
Turkey |
July 31 |
1980 A |
October 31 |
1980 |
Tuvalu |
22 August |
1985 A |
22 November |
1985 |
Ukraine |
1 Er November |
1974 Si |
25 May |
1980 |
Uruguay |
April 30 |
1979 A |
25 May |
1980 |
Vanuatu |
28 July |
1982 A |
28 October |
1982 |
Venezuela |
March 29 |
1983 |
29 June |
1983 |
Vietnam |
18 December |
1990 A |
18 March |
1991 |
Yemen |
6 March |
1979 A |
25 May |
1980 |
* |
Reservations and declarations, see below. |
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A |
From 25 May 1980 to 30 June 1997, the conv. Was applicable in Hong Kong on the basis of a territorial extension of the United Kingdom. From 1 Er July 1997, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. By virtue of the Chinese declaration of 5 June 1997, the conv. Is also applicable to the Hong Kong SAR from 1 Er July 1997. |
|||
B |
From 24 August 1999 to 19 Dec. 1999, the conv. Was applicable to Macao on the basis of a declaration of territorial extension of Portugal. From Dec 20. 1999, Macao became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. Under the Chinese declaration of Dec. 10. 1999, the conv. Is also applicable to the Macao SAR from 20 Dec. 1999. |
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C |
The conv. Is not applicable to Tokelau. |
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D |
The conv. Applies to the Kingdom in Europe. |
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France
The French government made a reservation on the subject of art. D, sub-paragraph i, in that it will not recognise any invocation of that provision in respect of its own ships, since that provision is contrary to international law.
1 RO 1982 127
2 RS 0.747.363.32
3 RO 1982 128 1562, 1984 255, 1985 231, 1986 871, 1987 1153, 1989 841, 1990 1869, 1997 463, 2005 1313 and 2012 5791. A version of the updated scope of application is published on the DFAE website (www.dfae.admin.ch/traites).