Estonia is first to sign Wreck Removal Convention

The Republic of Estonia has become the first country to sign, subject to ratification, the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007.

The Ambassador of Estonia to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Dr Margus Laidre, signed the Convention on behalf of Estonia at IMO Headquarters in London on Friday, 28 March. The Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention was adopted in May 2007 and will provide the legal basis for States to remove, or have removed, shipwrecks that may have the potential to affect adversely the safety of lives, goods and property at sea, as well as the marine environment. The Convention is open for signature until 18 November 2008 and, thereafter, will be open for ratification, accession or acceptance. It will enter into force twelve months following the date on which ten States have either signed it without reservation as to ratification, acceptance or approval or have deposited instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the Secretary General of IMO, Efthimios E. Mitropoulos. Mr. Mitropoulos welcomed the signature by Estonia and urged other States to follow suit, at the earliest opportunity, so that, “as intended, the Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention, once in force, can fill a gap in the existing international legal framework by providing the first set of uniform international rules aimed at ensuring the prompt and effective removal of wrecks beyond the territorial sea, thereby also contributing to the IMO goals of safe navigation and marine environmental protection.”

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