Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks - Insurance, Certification and Reporting Requirements
| CIRCULAR | Circular No. 025 (Amended) |
| SUBJECT | Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks – Insurance, Certification and Reporting Requirements |
| FROM | Office of the Maritime Administrator, Vanuatu International Shipping Registry |
| TO | All shipowners, managers, operators, masters, Special Agents, Recognized Organizations, insurers and P&I Clubs |
| AMENDMENT DATE | 20 August 2026 |
| EFFECTIVE DATE | Upon publication |
| STATUS | Version 2.0 – Supersedes the prior version of Circular No. 025 |
Authority and legal status. This Circular is issued by the Maritime Administrator under the functions and powers conferred by the Maritime Act [CAP 131], as amended by the Maritime (Amendment) Act No. 21 of 2025, including section 10C where applicable, and any additional written authority lawfully applicable to the subject. It shall be read with applicable mandatory IMO instruments and controlled VISR policies. It does not convert a direct statutory power into a delegated power, transfer a function assigned by law to another State entity, or amend any valid appointment, concession or other governing instrument.
Related controlled policies: VISR-QMS-POL-REG-003 – Regulatory Monitoring, Legislative Change and Administrative Decisions Policy; VISR-QMS-POL-REC-005 – Document and Records Control, Retention and IMSAS Evidence Management Policy; VISR-QMS-POL-CAS-010 – Marine Casualty and Marine Incident Safety Investigation Policy; VISR-QMS-POL-CI-002 – IMSAS Compliance, Internal Audit, Corrective Action and Continual Improvement Policy.
1. Application and objective
This Circular establishes Registry requirements supporting implementation of the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007, as applicable to Vanuatu-flagged ships and to wreck-related incidents involving such ships. It is intended to ensure continuous financial security, valid certification, prompt reporting and effective cooperation with affected coastal States.
2. Insurance and State certificate
• Every ship of 300 gross tonnage and above to which the Convention applies must maintain insurance or other financial security meeting the Convention requirements and any applicable Vanuatu law.
• A valid Blue Card or equivalent evidence from an insurer or financial-security provider acceptable to VISR must be submitted before issuance, renewal or replacement of the Wreck Removal Insurance Certificate.
• The owner must immediately notify VISR of cancellation, material amendment, lapse, withdrawal, sanctions restriction or other impairment of the financial security.
• The Convention certificate must be carried onboard in original or valid electronic form and must be immediately verifiable through the official Registry system.
• No certificate may be altered, backdated, transferred between vessels or relied upon after the underlying financial security has ceased.
3. Casualty and wreck reporting
• The master and company must report without delay any marine casualty or incident that has resulted, or may reasonably result, in a wreck, hazard to navigation, pollution threat or removal obligation.
• The report must include the vessel identity, position, time, nature of casualty, cargo and bunkers, condition of the ship, measures taken, coastal-State contacts, insurer and salvor information and available evidence.
• The company must preserve VDR, ECDIS, AIS, LRIT, logbooks, plans, cargo and bunker records, communications, photographs and other material required under Circular No. 029 (Amended).
• Owners, insurers and managers must cooperate with lawful marking, hazard determination, removal, cost-security and investigation requirements of competent authorities.
4. Verification and enforcement
VISR may verify the insurer, financial-security terms, sanctions status and certificate data at any time and may suspend, withdraw or revoke a certificate that is unsupported, inaccurate or no longer valid. The owner remains responsible for all Convention liabilities and costs notwithstanding the issuance of a certificate.
Compliance records and communications
All applications, approvals, notices, reports, evidence, decisions, acknowledgements and corrective-action records required by this Circular must be transmitted through an official VISR channel and retained in the controlled Registry file in accordance with the VISR records policy. Communications from unverified domains or persons without written authority must not be relied upon.
Official contact: technical@register-vu.com. Urgent safety, casualty, sanctions or fraud matters must also be copied to info@register-vu.com and reported without delay.
Enforcement, reasons and reconsideration
Non-compliance may result in enhanced inspection, corrective-action requirements, service restrictions, suspension, administrative penalties, withdrawal or revocation of documents, or deletion from the Registry, to the extent authorized by law and the applicable written authority. Except where immediate protective action is necessary for safety, security, sanctions compliance, documentary integrity or preservation of evidence, an affected person will be notified of the material grounds and given a reasonable opportunity to respond. A request for reconsideration must be submitted in writing to the Office of the Maritime Administrator with supporting evidence within ten business days of the written decision, unless a shorter period is stated because of an urgent risk.
Supersession and effective application
This amended Circular supersedes the prior version of Circular No. 025 from the effective date stated above. Existing obligations, liabilities, investigations, fees and corrective actions arising under the prior version remain enforceable to the extent lawfully incurred and are to be administered under the clearer procedures stated in this amended version. If this Circular conflicts with a later Act, regulation or controlled VISR policy, the higher or later instrument prevails and the Circular shall be updated through document control.
| Saade Makhlouf Maritime Administrator of the Republic of Vanuatu Vanuatu International Shipping Registry |
Issued in Port Vila and New York 20 August 2026 |
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