Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007; wreck removal; Home Publications Articles Wreck Removal Convention Wreck Removal Convention Publications Steamship Mutual Published: July 30, 2021 Contact author Download article pdf Image Introduction The Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007 (the “Convention”) entered into force on the 14 April 2015. On 28 July 2021 Kazakhstan will become the 56th state to ratify the Convention and the 21st state to extend its application to include its territorial waters. The Convention is receiving wider international attention and more states are expected to sign up - Norway is anticipated to ratify the Convention in the near future. Bringing in the concept of a reasonable and proportionate response to a wreck removal operation the Convention addresses questions of definition of a wreck, respective responsibilities of a Shipowner and State Party, liability and compulsory insurance as well as other provisions. Scope and application The Convention permits a State Party to take measures to remove a wreck that is a hazard to navigation or the marine environment. A ‘Hazard’ is defined as a danger to navigation or a condition giving rise to harmful consequences to coastlines or other coastal interests such as ports or fisheries, tourism, offshore and underwater infrastructure. The health of coastal populations and conservation of both marine and non-marine wildlife are further considerations in determining a hazard within the meaning of the Convention. The Convention restricts measures taken by the coastal state to being reasonable and proportional to the hazard faced, such measures to cease on removal of the wreck. The ‘Convention Area’ is identified as the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of a signatory state, the ‘State Party’, but excluding the territorial sea itself where national law applies. However, a State Party may extend the application of the Convention to include its own territorial s