Status of ratifications to Maritime Conventions Etat des ratifications aux conventions de Droit Maritime
Convention internationale
pour l’unification de
certaines règles relatives à la

Compétence pénale
en matière d’abordage et
autres événements
de navigation

Bruxelles, 10 mai 1952
Entrée en vigueur:
20 novembre 1955

Internationd convention
for the unification of
certain rulesrelating to

Penal jurisdiction
in matters of collision
and other incidents
of navigation

Brussels, 10th May 1952
Entered into force:
20 November 1955


Anguilla* (a) 12.V.1965
Antigua and Barbuda* (a) 12.V.1965
Argentina* (a) 19.IV.1961
Bahamas* (a) 12.V.1965
Belgium* (r) 10.IV.1961
Belize* (a) 21.IX.1965
Benin (a) 23.IV.1958
Burkina Faso (a) 23.IV.1958
Burman Union* (a) 8.VII.1953
Cayman Islands* (a) 12.VI.1965
Cameroon (a) 23.IV.1958
Central African Republic (a) 23.IV.1958

China

   

Hong Kong(1)

(a)

29.III.1963

Macao(2)

(a)

23.III.1999

Comoros (a) 23.IV.1958
Congo (a) 23.IV.1958
Costa Rica* (a) 13.VII.1955
Croatia* (r) 8.X.1991
Cyprus (a) 17.III.1994
Djibouti (a) 23.IV.1958
Dominica, Republic of* (a) 12.V.1965
Egypt* (r) 24.VIII.1955
Fiji* (a) 29.III.1963
France* (r) 20.V.1955
    Overseas Territories
(a) 23.IV.1958
Gabon (a) 23.IV.1958
Germany* (r) 6.X.1972
Greece (r) 15.III.1965
Grenada* (a) 12.V.1965
Guyana* (a) l9.III.1963
Guinea (a) 23.IV.1958
Haiti (a) 17.IX.1954
Haute-Volta (a) 23.IV.1958
Holy Seat (r) 10.VIII.1956
Italy* (r) 9.XI.1979
Ivory Coast (a) 23.IV.1958
Khmere Republic* (a) 12.XI.1956
Kiribati* (a) 21.IX.1965
Lebanon (r) 19.VII.1975
Luxembourg (a) 18.II.1991
Madagascar (a) 23.IV.1958
Mauritania (a) 23.IV.1958
Mauritius* (a) 29.III.1963
Montserrat* (a) 12.VI.1965
Morocco (a) 11.VII.1990
Netherlands* (r)
    Kingdom in Europe, West Indies
    and Aruba
(r) 25.VI.1971
Niger (a) 23.IV.1958
Nigeria* (a) 7 XI.1963
North Borneo* (a) 29.III.1963
Paraguay (a) 22.XI.1967
Portugal* (r) 4.V.1957
Romania (a) 28.XI.1995
Sarawak* (a) 28.VIII.1962
Senegal (a) 23.IV.1958
Seychelles* (a) 29.III.1963
Slovenia (a) 13.X.1993
Solomon Islands* (a) 21.IX.1965
Spain* (r) 8.XII.1953
St. Kitts and Nevis* (a) 12.V.1965
St. Lucia* (a) 12.V.1965
St. Helena* (a) 12.V.1965
St. Vincent and the Grenadines* (a) 12.V.1965
Sudan (a) 23.IV.1958
Suriname (r) 25.VI.1971
Switzerland (a) 28.V.1954
Syrian Arab Republic (a) 10.VII.1972
Tchad (a) 23.IV.1958
Togo (a) 23.IV.1958
Tonga* (a) 13.VI.1978
Tuvalu* (a) 21.IX.1965
United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland* (r) 18.III.1959
    Gibraltar, Hong-Kong (1)
(a) 29.III.1963
    British Virgin Islands
(a) 29.V.1963
    Bermuda
(a) 30.V.1963
    Anguilla
(a) 12.V.1965
    Turks Islands and Caicos
(a) 21.IX.1965
    Guernsey
(a) 8.XII.1966
    Falkland Islands and dependencies
(a) 17.X.1969
Viet Nam* (a) 26.XI.1955
Zaire (a) 17.VII.1967

  • (1) With letter dated 4 June 1997 the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of Belgium informed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium that the Penal Jurisdiction Convention will continue to apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with effect from 1 July 1997. In its letter the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China stated that the responsibility for the international rights and obligations arising from the application of the above Convention will be assumed by the Government of the People’s Republic of China.
    The following declarations have been made by the Government of the People’s Republic of China:
    • 1. The Government of the People’s Republic of China reserves, for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the right not to observe the provisions of Article 1 of the Convention in the case of any ship if the State whose flag the ship was flying has as respects that ship or any class of ships to which that ship belongs consented to the institution of criminal or disciplinary proceedings before the judicial or administrative authorities of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
    • 2. In accordance with Article 4 of the Convention, the Government of the People’s Republic of China reserves, for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the right to take proceedings in respect of offences committed within the waters under the jurisdiction of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
  • (2) The extension of the Convention to the territory of Macao has been notified by Portugal with declaration deposited on 23 March 1999. With letter dated 15 October 1999 the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of Belgium informed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium that the Convention will continue to apply to the Macao Special Administrative Region with effect from 20 December 1999. In its letter the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China stated that the responsibility for the international rights and obligations arising from the application of the above Convention will be assumed by the Government of the People’sRepublic of China.

Reservations

Antigua, Cayman Island, Montserrat, St. Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla, St. Helena and St. Vincent
The Governments of Antigua, the Cayman Islands, Montserrat, St. Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla (now the independent State of Anguilla), St. Helena and St. Vincent reserve the right not to observe the provisions of Article 1 of the said Convention in the case of any ship if the State whose flag the ship was flying has as respects that ship or any class of ship to which that ship belongs assented to the institution of criminal or disciplinary proceedings before judicial or administrative authorities in Antigua, the Cayman Islands, Montserrat, St. Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla, St. Helena and St. Vincent. They reserve the right under Article 4 of this Convention to take proceedings in respect of offences committed within the territorial waters of Antigua, the Cayman Islands, Montserrat, St. Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla, St. Helena and St. Vincent.

Argentina
(Traduction) La République Argentine adhère à la Convention internationale pour l’unification de certaines règles relatives à la compétence pénale en matière d’abordage et autres événements de navigation, sous réserve expresse du droit accordé par la seconde partie de l’article 4, et il est fixé que dans le terme “infractions” auquel cet article se réfère, se trouvent inclus les abordages et tout autre événement de la navigation visés à l’article 1° de la Convention.

Bahamas
...Subject to the following reservations:
(a) the right not to observe the provisions of Article 1 of the said Convention in the case of any ship if the State whose flag the ship was flying has, as respects that ship or any class of ship to which that ship belongs, assented to the institution of criminal and disciplinary proceedings before judicial or administrative authorities of the Bahamas;
(b) the right under Article 4 of the said Convention to take proceedings in respect of offences committed within the territorial waters of the Bahamas.

Belgium
...le Gouvernement belge, faisant usage de la faculté inscrite à l’article 4 de cette Convention, se réserve le droit de poursuivre les infractions commises dans les eaux territoriales belges.
Belize
...Subject to the following reservations:
(a) the right not to observe the provisions of Article 1 of the said Convention in the case of any ship if the State whose flag the ship was flying has, as respects that ship or any class of ship to which that ship belongs, consented to the institution of criminal and disciplinary proceedings before judicial or administrative authorities of Belize;
(b) the right under Article 4 of the said Convention to take proceedings in respect of offences committed within the territorial waters of Belize.

Cayman Islands
See Antigua.

China
Macao

The Government of the People’s Republic of China reserves, for the Macao Special Administrative Region, the right not to observe the provisions of Article 1 of the Convention in the case of any ship if the State whose flag the ship was flying has as respects that ship or any class of ships to which that ship belongs consented to the institution of criminal or disciplinary proceedings before the judicial or administrative authorities of the Macao Special Administrative Region.
In accordance with Article 4 of the Convention, the Government of the People’s Republic of China reserves, for the Macao Special Administrative Region, the right to take proceedings in respect of offences committed within the waters under the jurisdiction of the Macao Special Administrative Region.
Within the above ambit, the Government of the People’s Republic of China will assume the responsability for the international rights and obligations that place on a Party to the Convention.

Costa-Rica
(Traduction) Le Gouvernement de Costa-Rica ne reconnaît pas le caractère obligatoire des articles 1° and 2° de la présente Convention.

Croatia
Reservation made by Yugoslavia and now applicable to Croatia: “Sous réserve de ratifications ultérieure et acceptant la réserve prévue à l’article 4 de cette Convention. Conformément à l’article 4 de ladite Convention, le Gouvernement yougoslave se réserve le droit de poursuivre les infractions commises dans se propres eaux territoriales”.

Dominica, Republic of
... Subject to the following reservations:
(a) the right not to observe the provisions of Article 1 of the said Convention in the case of any ship if the State whose flag the ship was flying has, as respects that ship or any class of ship to which that ship belongs, assented to the institution of criminal and disciplinary proceedings before judicial or administrative authorities of Dominica;
(b) the right under Article 4 of the said Convention to take proceedings in respect of offences committed within the territorial waters of Dominica.

Egypt
Au moment de la signature le Plénipotentiaire égyptien a déclaré formuler la réserve prévue à l’article 4, alinéa 2. Confirmation expresse de la réserve faite au moment de la signature.

Fiji
The Government of Fiji reserves the right not to observe the provisions of article 1 of the said Convention in the case of any ship if the State whose flag the ship was flying has as respect that ship or any class of ship to which that ship belongs consented to the institution of criminal or disciplinary proceedings before judicial or administrative authorities in Fiji.
The Government of Fiji reserves the right under article 4 of this Convention to take proceedings in respect of offences committed within the territorial water of Fiji.

France
Au nom du Gouvernement de la République Française je déclare formuler la réserve prévue à l’article 4, paragraphe 2, de la convention internationale pour l’unification de certaines règles relatives à la compétence pénale en matière d’abordage.

Germany, Federal Republic of
(Traduction) Sous réserve du prescrit de l’article 4, alinéa 2.
Grenada
Same reservations as the Republic of Dominica

Guyana
Same reservations as the Republic of Dominica

Italy
Le Gouvernement de la République d’Italie se réfère à l’article 4, paragraphe 2, et se réserve le droit de poursuivre les infractions commises dans ses propres eaux territoriales.

Khmere Republic
Le Gouvernement de la République Khmère, d’accord avec l’article 4 de ladite convention, se réservera le droit de poursuivre les infractions commises dans ses eaux territoriales.

Kiribati
Same reservations as the Republic of Dominica

Mauritius
Same reservations as the Republic of Dominica

Montserrat
See Antigua.

Netherlands
Conformément à l’article 4 de cette Convention, le Gouvernement du Royaume des Pays-Bas, se réserve le droit de poursuivre les infractions commises dans ses propres eaux territoriales.

Nigeria
The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria reserve the right not to implement the provisions of Article 1 of the Convention in any case where that Government has an agreement with any other State that is applicable to a particular collision or other incident of navigation and if such agreement is inconsistent with the provisions of the said Article 1. The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria reserves the right, in accordance with Article 4 of the Convention, to take proceedings in respect of offences committed within the territorial waters of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

North Borneo
Same reservations as the Republic of Dominica

Portugal
Au nom du Gouvernement portugais, je déclare formuler la réserve prévue à l’article 4, paragraphe 2, de cette Convention.

Sarawak
Same reservations as the Republic of Dominica

St. Helena
See Antigua.

St. Kitts-Nevis
See Antigua.
St. Lucia
Same reservations as the Republic of Dominica
St. Vincent
See Antigua.

Seychelles
Same reservations as the Republic of Dominica

Solomon Isles
Same reservations as the Republic of Dominica

Spain
La Délégation espagnole désire, d’accord avec l’article 4 de la Convention sur la compétence pénale en matière d’abordage, se réserver le droit au nom de son Gouvernement, de poursuivre les infractions commises dans ses eaux territoriales. Confirmation expresse de la réserve faite au moment de la signature.

Tonga
Same reservations as the Republic of Dominica

Tuvalu
Same reservations as the Republic of Dominica

United Kingdom
1. - Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom reserves the right not to apply the provisions of Article 1 of this Convention in any case where there exists between Her Majesty’s Government and the Government of any other State an agreement which is applicable to a particular collision or other incident of navigation and is inconsistent with that Article.
2. - Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom reserves the right under Article 4 of this Convention to take proceedings in respect of offences committed within the territorial waters of the United Kingdom.
...subject to the following reservations:
(1) The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland reserve the right not to observe the provisions of Article 1 of the said Convention in the case of any ship if the State whose flag the ship was flying has as respects that ship or any class of ship to which that ship belongs consented to the institution of criminal and disciplinary proceedings before the judicial or administrative authorities of the United Kingdom.
(2) In accordance with the provisions of Article 4 of the said Convention, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland reserve the right to take proceedings in respect of offences committed within the territorial waters of the United Kingdom.
(3) The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland reserve the right in extending the said Convention to any of the territories for whose international relations they are responsible to make such extension subject to the reservation provided for in Article 4 of the said Convention...

Vietnam
Comme il est prévu à l’article 4 de la même convention, le Gouvernement vietnamien se réserve le droit de poursuivre les infractions commises dans la limite de ses eaux territoriales.

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