The 1968 Visby amendments to the Hague Rules have been in force since 1977 and have been ratified by the following states: Belgium, Denmark, Poland, Ecuador, Singapore, Egypt, Sri Lanka, France, Sweden, GDR, Switzerland, Lebanon, Netherlands, Spain, Syria, Norway, Tonga, U.K., Finland, Italy.

The Hague-Visby Protocol, which substitutes SDRs for Gold Francs, came into force in February 1984. The following states are parties: Spain, U.K., Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Italy.

The following states have ratified or acceded to the Hamburg Rules: Hungary, Egypt Uganda, Tanzania, Tunisia, Barbados, Morocco, Romania, Chile, Lebanon, Senegal. Twenty ratifications are required in order to bring the Hamburg Rules into effect.

Adherence by 30 states is required to bring into force the UNCTAD Convention on Multi-Modal Transport. The Convention has been ratified by: Mexico, Chile, Malawi, Senegal.

The 1976 Convention, which will come into force on 1 December 1986, has been ratified by the following states: North Yemen, U.K., Liberia, France, Spain, Japan, Bahamas, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Benin, Poland. A U.S. Congressional Committee has been giving active consideration to a version of the 1976 Convention which now incorporates the same burden of proof as in the Convention but includes higher limitation figures. Although prediction is extremely difficult, the bill is estimated to have a chance of becoming law. Other states, such as Australia and New Zealand, have given effect to or are considering giving effect to the 1957 Convention.

Ten ratifications are required to bring the Athens Convention into force. The following states have ratified: GDR, Liberia, Spain, Tonga, U.K., North Yemen, U.S.S.R., Argentina and Bahamas. Although Poland stated that it would ratify both the 1976 Limitation Convention and the Athens Convention, it has in fact ratified only the Limitation Convention.

The 1969 Convention on Civil Liability for oil pollution damage has now been ratified by 57 states. The 1971 IOPC Fund Convention has been ratified by 34 states. The Protocols agreed to the 1969 CLC and 1971 Fund Convention at the Diplomatic Conference in May 1984 have now been signed by the following states: U.S., U.K., Sweden, Poland, Portugal, F.R.G., Morocco, France, Denmark, Netherlands and Norway. The People’s Republic of China has signed the CLC Protocol. South Africa has acceded to the 1984 Protocols.

The Merchant Shipping Act (Commencement No. 10) Order 1986 (S.I. 1986 No. 1052), which comes into force on 1 December 1986, brings into operation those provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act 1979 necessary to give effect to the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims 1976, which comes into force on 1 December 1986 and replaces