International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage Document type Multilateral Field of application Global Date Nov 29, 1969 Source IUCN (ID: TRE-000120) Title abbreviation CLC 1969 Title (French) Convention internationale sur la responsabilité civile pour des dommages dus à la pollution par les hydrocarbures Title (Other) Internationales Übereinkommen über die zivilrechtliche Haftung für Ölverschmutzungsschäden Place of adoption Brussels Depository IMO International Maritime Organization Language English, French Entry into force Jun 19, 1975 Subject Waste & hazardous substances, Sea Keyword Navigation Liability/compensation Oil pollution Polluter pays principle Transport/storage Geographical area Arctic Abstract Objectives: To ensure that adequate compensation is available to persons who suffer damage caused by pollution resulting from the escape or discharge of oil from ships and to standardise international rules and procedures for determining questions of liability and adequate compensation in such areas. Summary or provisions: The owner of a ship at the time of an incident causing oil pollution damage is to be liable for any damage so caused, unless the incident is caused by act of war, exceptional natural phenomenon, malicious act of a third party or negligence of a Government or other authority in maintaining navigational aids (art. 3). Contributory liability on the part of the plaintiff may be established in certain cases (art. 3). Where two or more ships have caused such damage, the owners are to be jointly and severally liable (art. 4). Limits to liability are established (art. 5). Ships carrying over 2,000 tons of oil as cargo must maintain insurance (art. 7). Limitations of three and six years for rights of action are provided (art. 8). Warships are excluded (art. 11). (Source: IUCN ELC, 08.2005, based on UNEP Register of International Treaties and Other Agreements in the Field of the Environment, 1996) Full text English French Website www.imo.org Country/Territory/Participant See Expanded View Show Map Countries Entry into force Ratification * Simple signature Withdrawal Albania Jul 5, 1994 Apr 6, 1994 [2] - Jun 30, 2006 Algeria Jun 19, 1975 Jun 14, 1974 [2] - Aug 3, 1999 Antigua and Barbuda Sep 21, 1997 Jun 23, 1997 [2] - Jun 14, 2001 Australia Feb 5, 1984 Nov 7, 1983 [1] Dec 17, 1970 May 15, 1998 Azerbaijan Oct 14, 2004 Jul 16, 2004 [2] - - Bahamas Oct 20, 1976 Jul 22, 1976 [2] - May 15, 1998 Bahrain Aug 1, 1996 May 3, 1996 [2] - May 15, 1998 Barbados Aug 4, 1994 May 6, 1994 [2] - Jul 7, 1999 Belgium Apr 12, 1977 Jan 12, 1977 [1] Nov 29, 1969 Oct 6, 1999 Belize Jul 1, 1991 Apr 2, 1991 [2] - Nov 27, 1999 Benin Jan 30, 1986 Nov 1, 1985 [2] - - Brazil Mar 17, 1977 Dec 17, 1976 [1] Dec 30, 1969 - Brunei Darussalam Dec 28, 1992 Sep 29, 1992 [2] - Jan 31, 2003 Cambodia Feb 26, 1995 Nov 28, 1994 [2] - - Cameroon Aug 12, 1984 May 14, 1984 [1] Nov 29, 1969 Oct 15, 2002 Canada Apr 24, 1989 Jan 24, 1989 [2] - May 29, 1999 Chile Oct 31, 1977 Aug 2, 1977 [2] - - China Apr 29, 1980 Jan 30, 1980 [2] - Jan 5, 2000 Colombia Jun 24, 1990 Mar 26, 1990 [2] - Jan 25, 2006 Costa Rica Mar 8, 1998 Dec 8, 1997 [2] - - Croatia Oct 8, 1991 Oct 8, 1991 [4] - Jul 30, 1999 Cyprus Sep 17, 1989 Jun 19, 1989 [2] - May 15, 1998 Côte d'Ivoire Jun 19, 1975 Jun 21, 1973 [1] Nov 29, 1969 - Denmark Jun 19, 1975 Apr 2, 1975 [2] - May 15, 1998 Djibouti May 30, 1990 Mar 1, 1990 [2] - May 17, 2002 Dominican Republic Jun 19, 1975 Apr 2, 1975 [1] Oct 22, 1970 - Ecuador Mar 23, 1977 Dec 23, 1976 [2] - - Egypt May 4, 1989 Feb 3, 1989 [2] - - El Salvador Apr 2, 2002 Jan 2, 2002 [2] - - Equatorial Guinea Jul 23, 1996 Apr 24, 1996 [2] - - Estonia Mar 1, 1993 Dec 1, 1992 [2] - Aug 6, 2005 Fiji Jun 19, 1975 Aug 15, 1972 [2] - Nov 30, 2000 Finland Jan 8, 1981 Oct 10, 1980 [1] Dec 30, 1970 May 15, 1998 France Jun 19, 1975 Mar 17, 1975 [1] Nov 29, 1969 May 15, 1998 Gabon Apr 21, 1982 Jan 21, 1982 [2] - May 31, 2003 Gambia Jan 30, 1992 Nov 1, 1991 [2] - - Georgia Jul 18, 1994 Apr 19, 1994 [2] - - Germany Aug 18, 1975 May 20, 1975 [1] Nov 29, 1969 May 15, 1998 Ghana Jul 19, 1978 Apr 20, 1978 [1] Nov 29, 1969 - Greece Sep 27, 1976 Jun 29, 1976 [2] - May 15, 1998 Guatemala Jan 18, 1983 Oct 20, 1982 [3] Nov 29, 1969 - Guyana Mar 10, 1998 Dec 10, 1997 [2] - - Honduras Mar 2, 1999 Dec 2, 1998 [2] - - Iceland Oct 15, 1980 Jul 17, 1980 [1] Nov 29, 1969 Feb 10, 2001 India Jul 30, 1987 May 1, 1987 [2] - Jun 21, 2001 Indonesia Nov 30, 1978 Sep 1, 1978 [1] Nov 29, 1969 - Ireland Feb 17, 1993 Nov 19, 1992 [1] Dec 18, 1970 May 15, 1998 Italy May 28, 1979 Feb 27, 1979 [1] Nov 29, 1969 Oct 8, 2000 Japan Sep 1, 1976 Jun 3, 1976 [2] - May 15, 1998 Jordan Jan 12, 2004 Oct 14, 2003 [2] - Jan 8, 2020 Kazakhstan Jun 5, 1994 Mar 7, 1994 [2] - - Kenya Mar 15, 1993 Dec 15, 1992 [2] - Jul 7, 2001 Korea, Republic of Mar 18, 1979 Dec 18, 1978 [2] - May 15, 1998 Kuwait Jul 1, 1981 Apr 2, 1981 [2] - - Latvia Oct 8, 1992 Jul 10, 1992 [2] - Jul 19, 2011 Lebanon Jun 19, 1975 Apr 9, 1974 [2] - - Liberia Jun 19, 1975 Sep 25, 1972 [2] - May 15, 1998 Libya Jul 26, 2005 Apr 28, 2005 [2] - - Luxembourg May 15, 1991 Feb 14, 1991 [2] - Nov 21, 2006 Madagascar - - Nov 29, 1969 - Malaysia Apr 6, 1995 Jan 6, 1995 [2] - Jun 9, 2005 Maldives Jun 14, 1981 Mar 16, 1981 [2] - - Malta Dec 26, 1991 Sep 27, 1991 [2] - Jan 6, 2001 Marshall Islands Apr 24, 1994 Jan 24, 1994 [2] - May 15, 1998 Mauritania Feb 15, 1996 Nov 17, 1995 [2] - May 4, 2013 Mauritius Jul 5, 1995 Apr 6, 1995 [2] - Dec 6, 2000 Mexico Aug 11, 1994 May 13, 1994 [2] - May 15, 1998 Monaco Nov 19, 1975 Aug 21, 1975 [1] Nov 29, 1969 May 15, 1998 Mongolia Jun 1, 2003 Mar 3, 2003 [2] - - Montenegro Jun 6, 2006 Jun 6, 2006 [4] - Feb 23, 2008 Morocco Jun 19, 1975 Apr 11, 1974 [2] - Oct 25, 2001 Mozambique Mar 23, 1997 Dec 23, 1996 [2] - Apr 26, 2003 Netherlands Dec 8, 1975 Sep 9, 1975 [1] Nov 11, 1970 May 15, 1998 New Zealand Jul 26, 1976 Apr 27, 1976 [2] - Jun 25, 1999 Nicaragua Sep 2, 1996 Jun 4, 1996 [2] - Apr 4, 2015 Nigeria Aug 5, 1981 May 7, 1981 [2] - May 24, 2003 Norway Jun 19, 1975 Mar 21, 1975 [2] - May 15, 1998 Oman Apr 24, 1985 Jan 24, 1985 [2] - May 15, 1998 Panama Apr 6, 1976 Jan 7, 1976 [1] Dec 1, 1970 May 11, 2000 Papua New Guinea Jun 10, 1980 Mar 12, 1980 [2] - Jan 23, 2002 Peru May 25, 1987 Feb 24, 1987 [2] - - Poland Jun 16, 1976 Mar 18, 1976 [1] Nov 29, 1969 Dec 21, 2000 Portugal Feb 24, 1977 Nov 26, 1976 [1] Nov 29, 1969 Dec 1, 2005 Qatar Aug 31, 1988 Jun 2, 1988 [2] - Nov 20, 2002 Romania - - Dec 30, 1970 - Russian Federation Sep 22, 1975 Jun 24, 1975 [2] - Mar 20, 2001 Saint Kitts and Nevis Dec 13, 1994 Sep 14, 1994 [2] - - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Jul 18, 1989 Apr 19, 1989 [2] - Oct 9, 2002 Sao Tome and Principe Jan 27, 1999 Oct 29, 1998 [2] - - Saudi Arabia Jul 14, 1993 Apr 15, 1993 [2] - - Senegal Jun 19, 1975 Mar 27, 1972 [2] - - Serbia Jun 3, 2006 Jun 3, 2006 [4] - May 25, 2012 Seychelles Jul 11, 1988 Apr 12, 1988 [2] - Jul 23, 2000 Sierra Leone Nov 11, 1993 Aug 13, 1993 [2] - Jun 4, 2002 Singapore Dec 15, 1981 Sep 16, 1981 [2] - Dec 31, 1998 Slovenia Jun 25, 1991 Jun 25, 1991 [4] - Jul 19, 2001 South Africa Jun 15, 1976 Mar 17, 1976 [2] - Oct 1, 2005 Spain Mar 7, 1976 Dec 8, 1975 [1] Oct 7, 1970 May 15, 1998 Sri Lanka Jul 11, 1983 Apr 12, 1983 [2] - Jan 22, 2000 Sweden Jun 19, 1975 Mar 17, 1975 [1] Dec 7, 1970 May 15, 1998 Switzerland Mar 14, 1988 Dec 15, 1987 [1] Nov 29, 1969 May 15, 1998 Syrian Arab Republic Jun 19, 1975 Feb 6, 1975 [2] - - Tonga May 1, 1996 Feb 1, 1996 [2] - Dec 10, 2000 Tunisia Aug 2, 1976 May 4, 1976 [2] - May 15, 1998 Turkmenistan Dec 20, 2009 Sep 21, 2009 [2] - - Tuvalu Oct 1, 1978 Oct 1, 1978 [4] - Jun 30, 2005 United Arab Emirates Mar 14, 1984 Dec 15, 1983 [2] - - United Kingdom Jun 19, 1975 Mar 17, 1975 [1] Nov 29, 1969 May 15, 1998 United States of America - - Nov 29, 1969 - Vanuatu May 3, 1983 Feb 2, 1983 [2] - Feb 18, 2000 Venezuela, Boliv. Rep. of Apr 20, 1992 Jan 21, 1992 [2] - Jul 22, 1999 Yemen Jun 4, 1979 Mar 6, 1979 [2] - Jul 31, 2008 * [1] Ratification [2] Accession/approbation [3] Acceptance/approval [4] Succession [5] Consent to be bound [6] Definite signature reset zoom out zoom in References - Treaties Amended by Protocol to the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage Treaty | Multilateral | London | Nov 19, 1976 Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-000119) Protocol to amend the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage Treaty | Multilateral | London | May 25, 1984 Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-000839) Protocol of 1992 to amend the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, 1969 Treaty | Multilateral | London | Nov 27, 1992 Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-001177) Cited by International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea, 1996 Treaty | Multilateral | London | May 3, 1996 Keyword: Transport/storage, Data collection/reporting, Vessel ownership, Radioactive waste, Legal proceedings/administrative proceedings, Resource/damage valuation, Special fund, Oil, Hazardous waste, Enforcement/compliance, Liability/compensation, Jurisdictional competence, Hazardous substances Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-001245) International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001 Treaty | Multilateral | London | Mar 23, 2001 Keyword: Jurisdictional competence, Enforcement/compliance, Registration, Certification, Marine pollution, Liability/compensation, Oil pollution, Vessel ownership Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-001377) International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation Treaty | Multilateral | London | Nov 30, 1990 Keyword: Technology transfer, Data collection/reporting, Research, Oil, Oil pollution, Early warning system/emergency intervention system, Resource/damage valuation, Capacity building, Education Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-001109) Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks Treaty | Multilateral | Nairobi | May 18, 2007 Keyword: Oil pollution, High seas, Wild fauna, Marine area, Marine fisheries, Marine pollution (ship-based sources), Wild flora, Hazardous substances, Marine pollution, Navigation Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-160031) Other references Literature 28 records related to this treaty. 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