Bangladesh joins int’l maritime liability conventions

Bangladesh has taken a significant step towards strengthening marine environmental protection, safeguarding coastal communities, and promoting sustainable maritime trade by acceding to three major international maritime liability conventions.

This landmark development further strengthens the country’s maritime legal and institutional framework in line with internationally accepted standards and best practices.

The accession has been undertaken by the Ministry of Shipping in line with the Government’s commitment to ensuring safe shipping, protecting the marine environment, and promoting responsible maritime governance.

On Monday, Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, the Ministry of Railways, and the Ministry of Shipping, Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam, MP formally handed over the Instruments of Accession to Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), at IMO Headquarters in London.

The Minister was accompanied by Dr. M. Nazrul Islam, Acting High Commissioner of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Commodore Md Shafiul Bari, Director General of the Department of Shipping, Bangladesh.

The Three Conventions acceded by Bangladesh are International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage (CLC), 1969 as amended by the 1992 Protocol, International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001 (Bunker Convention) and Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007 (Wreck Removal Convention)
Every day, hundreds of ships pass through Bangladesh’s waters or call at its ports. With this traffic comes risk of oil spills, bunker fuel pollution, and shipwrecks that threaten navigation and marine life.

These conventions draw a line of responsibility between ship owners/operators and states by ensuring mandatory insurance requirements. When an accident occurs, compensation does not depend on lengthy court battles but is backed by a guaranteed financial system.

Accession has clear economic benefits. Bangladeshi-flagged ships will no longer need to obtain convention certificates from foreign administrations, which will save time, cost, and foreign currency.

Compliance with these conventions also signals reliability to international charterers, insurers, and port authorities, strengthening confidence in Bangladesh as a flag State and reducing delays and commercial disadvantages.

With more than a hundred countries already party to these conventions, Bangladesh’s accession brings it in line with established global maritime practice.

This decision reflects Bangladesh’s growing role as a responsible maritime nation. With increasing ship traffic, port activity, and coastal development, adopting these conventions is essential to safeguard national interests while meeting international obligations.