The Nairobi International Convention on the removal of wrecks enters into force on 14 April 2015. Norway has not yet ratified the Convention, but it will be applicable to Norwegian ships operating in Antigua and Barbuda, Bulgaria, Congo, the Cook Islands, Denmark, Germany, India, Iran, Liberia, Malaysia, Malta, the Marshall Islands, Morocco, Nigeria, Palau, UK and any other country which ratifies the Convention at a later stage.

The Convention requires all ships of 300 gross tonnage and upwards to maintain insurance or other financial security for the removal of shipwrecks, and to hold a certificate attesting this, in order to operate in the economic zone of the member States, cf. Article 12. The member States may in their national legislation expand the requirement to apply to their territorial waters as well as to smaller ships.

Norwegian ships which will be operating in one of the States which has ratified the Convention, must familiarize themselves with the legislation of the State concerned.

We have now entered into an agreement with Denmark concerning the issuance of wreck removal certificates. Ships in need of a certificate may therefore submit an application to the Danish Maritime Authority by e-mail. We also refer to announcement No. 27 of 20th January 2015.

The charge for the certificate is DKK 1,250, and the certificate is valid for up to one year.

Please note the following conditions for the certificate:

  • the company must, in the event of change of ownership, inform the Danish Maritime Authority of the change before the actual change takes effect
  • the company must, in the event of expiry of the insurance, inform the Danish Maritime Authority in writing prior to the expiration