Some Notes on Violations of Marine Environmental Protection by Foreign Ships

Acts of violations regarding marine environmental protection by foreign vessels powered by nuclear energy or vessels carrying radioactive substances, toxic substances, or dangerous goods when passing through the territorial waters of Vietnam as stipulated in Article 24 of Decree 162/2013/ND-CP are detailed in Circular 130/2014/TT-BQP as follows:

- Foreign vessels powered by nuclear energy or vessels carrying radioactive substances, toxic substances, or dangerous goods passing through the territorial waters of Vietnam are cases where vessels are exercising the right of innocent passage in the territorial waters, including:

- Passing through but not entering the internal waters of Vietnam, not anchoring at a port, berth or place of refuge outside the internal waters of Vietnam;- Entering or leaving the internal waters of Vietnam or anchoring at or leaving a port, berth, or place of refuge outside the internal waters of Vietnam,

- Technical documents related to vessels and cargo on board as stipulated in Clause 1 Article 24 of Decree 162/2013/ND-CP are applied as follows:

- For vessels carrying radioactive, toxic, or dangerous substances, according to Regulation 4, Regulation 7-2, Regulation 10, Regulation 16 Chapter VII of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974; in case of vessels powered by nuclear energy, according to Regulation 10 Chapter VIII of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974;- Documents on transporting toxic substances by sea shall comply with Regulation 4 Annex III, Regulation 11 Annex II of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973, as amended by the 1978 Protocol (MARPOL 73/78).

- Documents on compulsory civil insurance are certificates of civil liability insurance of the ship owner, certificates of insurance or financial security covering civil liability for oil pollution damage, or other insurance certificates as required by relevant international conventions to which Vietnam is a member.

See the full text of the regulation at Circular 130/2014/TT-BQP, effective from November 12, 2014.

Thu Ba

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