Singapore: Implementation of 1996 Protocol to LLMC 1976
On 29 December 2019, Singapore implemented the Protocol of 1996 to Amend the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims (the “1996 Protocol”).
For (i) a brief background on the 1996 Protocol and (ii) a comparison of the limits under the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims, 1976 and the limits under the 1996 Protocol (as amended in 2012), please refer to the UK P&I Club’s legal update dated 31 January 2019[1].
Singapore’s limits of liability for maritime claims are now as follows:
Tonnage (GT)
Claims for loss of life or personal injury (SDR)
Other claims (SDR)
<2,000
3,020,000
1,510,000
2,001-30,000
3,020,000 + 1,208/ton over 2,000 tons
1,510,000 + 604/ton over 2,000 tons
30,001–70,000
36,844,000 + 906/ton over 30,000 tons
18,422,000 + 453/ton over 30,000 tons
>70,000
73,084,000 + 604/ton over 70,000 tons
36,542,000 + 302/ton over 70,000 tons
The implementation of the 1996 Protocol does not apply in relation to any liability arising out of an occurrence which took place before 29 December 2019.
Members will recall that substantial increases in the liability limits set by the 1976 London Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims (LLMC) as amended by the 1996 LLMC Protocol, were agreed by the IMO Legal Committee in 2012.
In 2005, Hong Kong finally adopted the 1996 Protocol’s limitation levels, which came into play locally on 3 May 2015. Since then, the negotiations have continued between participating member states on amendments to the limitation levels.
A limitation period is the time within which claimants have to commence legal proceedings, either in court or arbitration, otherwise those claims will become time barred.
