The Ratification of Maritime Conventions
Chapter I.3.210
CONVENTION RELATING TO THE UNIFICATION OF CERTAIN RULES OF LAW RELATING TO ASSISTANCE AND SALVAGE AT SEA, 1910
ADOPTED: Done at Brussels, 23 September 1910
REFERENCE: ASSISTANCE AND SALVAGE 1910
ENTERED INTO FORCE: 1 March 1913
DEPOSITARY: Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
SECRETARY: Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Protocol shall remain open another year in favour of the States represented at the Brussels Conference. After this interval they can only adhere to it on conforming to the provisions of article XVII.
Article XVII
States which have not signed the Convention are allowed to adhere to it on request. Such adhesion shall be notified through the diplomatic channel to the Belgian Government and by the latter to each of the other Governments. It shall become effective one month after the sending of the notification by the Belgian Government.
DENUNCIATION
Article XIX
In the case of one or other of the High Contracting Parties denouncing this Convention, such denunciation should not take effect until a year after the day on which it has been notified to the Belgian Government, and the Convention would remain in force as between the other Contracting Parties.
AMENDMENTS
Article XVI
Any one of the High Contracting Parties shall have the right three years after this Convention comes into force to call for a fresh conference with a view to seeking such ameliorations as may be brought therein, and particularly with a view to extending, if possible, the sphere of its application.
Any power exercising this right must notify its intention to the other powers, through the Belgian Government, which will see to the convening of the Conference within six months.
DECLARATIONS AND RESERVATIONS
[IML Translations]
Croatia
On 30 July 1992 a note verbale was received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Croatia in which the Republic of Croatia notified that she considered herself to be bound by the Convention, to which she was succeeding, as from the date of independence of Croatia, that is to say the 8 October 1991, with the rights and obligations which had previously been undertaken by the Federal Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia.
Fiji
Accession effected by Great Britain, in conformity with the provisions of the Protocol of signature.
On 22 August, 1972 a letter was received at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Overseas Trade and Co-operation and Development from Mr. K.T.T. Mara, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Fiji, notifying that as far as this Convention was concerned, the government of Fiji would undertake the rights and obligations previously underwritten by the United Kingdom from the date of Fijian independence, that is to say, 10 October 1970.
German Democratic Republic
On 22 May 1953, the Belgian Government received a letter from the Government of the German Democratic Republic asking that the Convention be entered into force.
On 15 February 1974, the Belgian Government received a letter from the Government of the German Democratic Republic declaring re-application to the Convention for the German Democratic Republic with effect from 27 December, 1954.
Germany, Federal Republic of
This Convention entered into force as from 1 November, 1953 between, on the one hand, the Federal Republic of Germany and, on the other hand, the Allied Powers with the exception of Hungary, Poland, Uruguay, New Zealand, Rumania and the USSR.
On 23 December, 1975 a note verbale was received, dated 16 December 1975, from the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, communicating the following: “With reference to the notification by the German Democratic Republic of 31 January, 1974 No. RV 15/74 concerning the application, with effect from 27 December, 1954, of the Convention, the government of the Federal Republic of Germany declares that this declaration will not have retroactive effect beyond 21 June, 1973 as far as the relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic are concerned.”
Hong Kong
On 4 June 1997 the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs received the following with notification from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of Belgium: “The International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law Relating to Assistance and Salvage at Sea done at Brussels on 23 September 1910 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Convention’) which applies to Hong Kong at present will continue to apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with effect from 1 July 1997. Within the above ambit, responsibility for the international rights and obligations of a party to the Convention will be assumed by the Government of the People’s Republic of China.”
Macao
On 5 October 1999 the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs received the following notification from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of Belgium:
“The Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law relating to Assistance and Salvage at Sea, done at Brussels on 23 September 1910 (hereinafter referred, to as ‘the Convention’), which applies to Macao at present, will continue to apply to the Macao Special Administrative Region with effect from 20 December 1999.
Within the above ambit, the Government of the People’s Republic of China will assume the responsibility for the international rights and obligations that place [sic] on a Party to the Convention.”
Singapore
Accession effected by Great Britain for the Strait Settlements (of which Singapore is a part), in conformity with the provisions of the Protocol of signature.
On 18 June 1974, a note verbale was received at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Overseas Trade and Co-operation and Development from the Foreign Ministry of Singapore dated 31 May, 1974, declaring that the Republic of Singapore considered herself to be linked to this Convention with effect from her accession to independence, namely 19 August 1965.
Slovenia
On 13 October 1993 a note verbale was received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia in which the Republic of Slovenia notified that she considered herself to be bound by the Convention, to which she was succeeding, as from the date of independence of Slovenia, that is to say the 25 June 1991, with the rights and obligations which had previously been undertaken by the Federal Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia.