The 2010 HNS Convention, establishing the first global liability and compensation framework for hazardous and noxious substances transported by sea, will enter into force on 29 November 2027 after its activation conditions were met on 29 May 2026.
The framework is designed to support claims linked to incidents involving hazardous cargoes, including personal injury, property damage, economic loss, clean-up costs and environmental harm.
The milestone follows ratifications by Belgium, Germany, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Sweden in April 2026, bringing the total number of contracting states to 12, nine of which hold more than 2 million units of gross tonnage.
Contributing cargo reported for 2025 exceeded the required 40 million tonne threshold, satisfying the final condition under Article 21(1) of the 2010 HNS Protocol.
IMO Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, said: “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. This treaty will ensure that those affected by hazardous cargo incidents involving ships can access fair and timely compensation, while providing legal certainty for industry and governments.”
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The Convention covers damage, including personal injury, property loss, economic harm, clean-up costs and environmental impact, arising from incidents involving more than 2,000 substances carried at sea, among them LNG, LPG, chemicals, acids and fertilisers.
Approximately 65,000 ships will need to obtain HNS insurance certificates or equivalent financial security.
Shipowners face strict liability under the regime and must maintain state-certified cover. An HNS Fund, financed through post-incident contributions from cargo receivers in contracting states, will provide additional compensation once shipowner liability limits are reached. Total compensation is capped at 250 million Special Drawing Rights, approximately $360 million, per incident.
The Convention applies the polluter pays principle and sits alongside existing IMO instruments addressing oil pollution and hazardous shipwrecks, extending equivalent protections to the wider hazardous cargo sector at a time of growing alternative fuel and chemical shipments.
For more information:
International Maritime Organization – https://www.imo.org/en
