Chemical tanker accidents and the 2010 HNS convention

The 2010 HNS Convention covers any damage caused by the carriage by sea of hazardous and noxious substances in the territory or territorial sea of a State Party to the Convention. The costs of preventive actions, i.e. measures to avoid or minimize damage, are also covered wherever taken. The HNSC includes preventive measures as any reasonable measures taken by any person after an incident has occurred to prevent or minimize damage, i.e.actions such as clean-up or removal of HNS from a wreck if the HNS present a hazard or pollution risk. It seems that after the CLC (1992), much environmental legislation has lost the concept of pro-activeness / prevention of an environmental hazard and are more focused on compensation and reactiveness. This approach is not consistent with the purpose of environmental legislation and the examination of the basic principles of HNSC in parallel with distinctive environmental hazards, proves this theory of reactive strategy.