International Convention on Load Lines

General Detail

General Information

  1. Type: Convention
  2. Date of signature:
  3. Place of signature: London, United Kingdom
  4. Depositary:
  5. Date of entry into force: 21/07/1968

Category

Transport and telecommunications

Sub category

Maritime shipping and load lines

Groups

IMO

What is it about?

This Convention deals with the limitations to which a ship may be loaded. These limitations are given in the form of freeboards (the distance between the water line and the uppermost full deck of a ship), which constitute the main objective of the Convention. It determines the freeboard of vessels by subdivision and damage stability calculations. This instrument also covers weathertight and watertight integrity, taking into account the potential hazards in different zones and seasonal periods. The Technical annex presents other several safety measures related to doors, freeing ports, hatchways and other items, ensuring the watertight integrity of ships’ hulls bellow the freeboard deck.

Why is it relevant?

This instrument contributes to the safety of the passengers and cargo of a ship by ensuring safe limitations on loading and weather and watertight integrity.

Additional Information

Originally, amendments to this Convention were made by positive acceptance. In this sense, an amendment would then only enter into force 12 months after being accepted by two thirds of State Parties. In practice, amendments between 1971 and 1983 never received enough acceptances to enter into force. The 1998 Protocol, which entered into force on the 3rd of February 2000, introduced the tacit amendment procedure where amendments enter into force after a certain period unless they are rejected by one-third of State Parties. It also harmonized the Convention’s survey and certification requirements with those contained in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS, London, 01/11/1974) and the Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as amended (MARPOL PROT, London, 17/02/1978).

  • Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as amended (MARPOL PROT, London, 17/02/1978).
  • International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) (London, 01/11/1974)
  • Convention on the International Maritime Organization (Geneva, 06/03/1948).

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Country ratifications
CountryRatification date
Albania30/05/2003
Algeria04/10/1976
Angola03/10/1991
Antigua and Barbuda09/02/1987
Argentina03/06/1971
Australia29/07/1968
Austria04/08/1972
Azerbaijan01/07/1997
Bahamas22/07/1976
Bahrain21/10/1985
Bangladesh10/05/1978
Barbados01/09/1982
Belarus07/01/1994
Belgium22/01/1969
Belize02/04/1991
Benin01/11/1985
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)04/06/1999
Brazil12/09/1969
Brunei Darussalam06/03/1987
Bulgaria30/12/1968
Cambodia28/11/1994
Cameroon14/05/1984
Canada14/01/1970
Cape Verde28/04/1977
Chile10/03/1975
China05/10/1973
Colombia06/05/1987
Comoros22/11/2000
Congo06/06/1986
Cote d'Ivoire19/07/1971
Croatia08/10/1991
Cuba06/02/1969
Cyprus05/05/1969
Czech Republic01/01/1993
Democratic People's Republic of Korea18/10/1989
Democratic Republic of the Congo20/05/1968
Denmark28/06/1967
Djibouti01/03/1984
Dominica21/06/2000
Dominican Republic28/06/1973
Ecuador12/01/1976
Egypt06/12/1968
Equatorial Guinea24/04/1996
Eritrea22/04/1996
Estonia16/12/1991
Ethiopia18/07/1985
Fiji29/11/1972
Finland15/05/1968
France30/11/1966
Gabon21/01/1982
Gambia01/11/1991
Georgia19/04/1994
Germany09/04/1969
Ghana25/09/1968
Greece12/06/1968
Grenada28/06/2004
Guatemala05/09/1994
Guinea19/01/1981
Guyana10/12/1997
Haiti06/04/1989
Honduras16/11/1977
Hungary25/09/1973
Iceland24/06/1970
India19/04/1968
Indonesia17/01/1977
Iran05/10/1973
Ireland28/08/1968
Israel05/07/1967
Italy19/04/1968
Jamaica18/08/1982
Japan15/05/1968
Jordan17/05/2000
Kazakhstan07/03/1994
Kenya12/09/1975
Kiribati05/02/2007
Kuwait28/08/1968
Latvia20/05/1992
Lebanon07/07/1970
Liberia08/05/1967
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya12/08/1974
Lithuania04/12/1991
Luxembourg04/02/1991
Madagascar16/01/1967
Malawi07/01/2002
Malaysia12/01/1971
Maldives29/01/1968
Malta11/09/1974
Marshall Islands26/04/1988
Mauritania04/12/1967
Mauritius11/10/1988
Mexico25/03/1970
Moldova11/10/2005
Monaco25/03/1970
Mongolia03/03/2003
Montenegro03/06/2006
Morocco19/01/1968
Mozambique30/10/1991
Myanmar11/11/1987
Namibia22/02/2002
Netherlands21/07/1967
New Zealand05/02/1970
Nicaragua02/02/1994
Nigeria14/11/1968
Norway18/03/1968
Oman20/08/1975
Pakistan05/12/1968
Palau29/09/2011
Panama13/05/1966
Papua New Guinea18/05/1976
Peru18/01/1967
Philippines04/03/1969
Poland28/05/1969
Portugal22/12/1969
Qatar31/01/1980
Republic of Korea10/07/1969
Romania03/06/1971
Russian Federation04/07/1966
Saint Kitts and Nevis11/06/2004
Saint Lucia20/05/2004
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines29/04/1986
Samoa23/10/1979
Sao Tome and Principe29/10/1998
Saudi Arabia05/09/1975
Senegal18/08/1977
Serbia27/04/1992
Seychelles01/10/1976
Sierra Leone13/08/1993
Singapore21/09/1971
Slovakia01/01/1993
Slovenia25/06/1991
Solomon Islands30/06/2004
Somalia30/03/1967
South Africa14/12/1966
Spain01/07/1968
Sri Lanka10/05/1974
Sudan26/09/1991
Suriname25/11/1975
Sweden28/07/1967
Switzerland23/04/1968
Syrian Arab Republic06/02/1975
Thailand30/12/1992
Togo19/07/1989
Tonga12/04/1977
Trinidad and Tobago24/08/1966
Tunisia23/08/1966
Turkey05/08/1968
Turkmenistan04/02/2009
Tuvalu22/08/1985
Ukraine25/10/1993
United Arab Emirates15/12/1983
United Kingdom11/07/1967
United Republic of Tanzania28/02/1989
United States of America17/11/1966
Uruguay18/04/1977
Vanuatu28/07/1982
Venezuela15/10/1974
Viet Nam18/12/1990
Yemen06/03/1979
Zambia02/09/1970
Treaties analysis
YearRatifications
19667
196711
196820
19699
19707
19715
19722
19736
19744
19756
19765
19776
19781
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19801
19811
19824
19831
19842
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19862
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199110
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19934
19946
19962
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19981
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Total162
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