Treaty Series No. 858
Final Act of the Load Line Conference, Signed at London, July 5, 1930
The Governments of Germany, the Commonwealth of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Denmark, the Free City of Danzig, Spain, the Irish Free State, the United States of America, Finland, France, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Greece, India, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Mexico, Norway, New Zealand, Paraguay, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics;
Desiring to promote safety of life and property at sea by establishing in common agreement uniform principles and rules with regard to the limits to which ships on international voyages may be loaded;
Having decided to participate in an international conference which, upon the invitation of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was held in London;
Appointed the following delegations:—
[Here follows list of names of delegates.]
Who accordingly assembled in London.
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry F. Oliver was appointed President of the Conference, and Mr. A. E. Lee, Secretary-General.
For the purposes of its work the Conference set up the following Committees, of which the under-mentioned were Presidents:—
- Administration Committee: Mr. Koenigs.
- Main Technical Committee: Sir Charles Sanders.
- Tankers Committee: Mr. Kennedy.
- Timber Ships Committee: Mr. Emil Krogh.
- Special Types of Ship Committee: Vice-Admiral Fock.
- Zones Committee: General Ingianni.
- Drafting Committee: Mr. Haarbleicher.
- Credentials Committee: Mr. Nakayama.
In the course of a series of meetings between the 20th May, 1930, and the 5th July, 1930, a Load Line Convention, dated the 5th July 1930, was drawn up.
I
The Conference takes note of the following declarations, made by the undermentioned delegation:—
The Plenipotentiaries of the United States of America formally declare that the signing of the International Load Line Convention by them, on the part of the United States of America, on this date, is not to be construed to mean that the Government of the United States of America recognizes a régime or entity which signs or accedes to the Convention as the Government of a country when that régime or entity is not recognized by the Government of the United States of America as the Government of that country.
The Plenipotentiaries of the United States of America further declare that the participation of the United States of America in the International Load Line Convention signed on this date does not involve any contractual obligation on the part of the United States of America to a country, represented by a régime or entity which the Government of the United States of America does not recognize as the Government of that country, until such country has a Government recognized by the Government of the United States of America.
II
The Conference also adopts the following recommendations:—
ships of less than 150 tons gross engaged on international voyages
The Conference recommends that such regulations as may be made by any of the Contracting Governments relating to ships of less than 150 tons gross engaged on international voyages should, so far as practicable and reasonable, be framed in accordance with the principles and rules laid down in this Convention, and should whenever possible be made after consultation and agreement with the Governments of the other countries concerned in such international voyages.
strength
As under the Rules attached to this Convention, ships which comply with the highest standard laid down in the rules of a classification society recognised by the Administration are regarded as having sufficient strength for the minimum freeboards allowed under the rules, the Conference recommends that each Administration should request the Society or Societies which it has recognised to confer from time to time with the Societies recognised by other [Page 275] Administrations, with a view to securing as much uniformity as possible in the application of the standards of strength on which freeboard is based.
annual surveys
The Conference recommends that, if possible, each Administration should make arrangements for the periodical inspections referred to in paragraph (3) (c) of Article 14 to be held at intervals of approximately twelve months so far as concerns the maintenance of the fittings and appliances referred to in Condition B of paragraph 3 of that Article (i.e., the fittings and appliances for the (i) protection of openings, (ii) guard rails, (iii) freeing ports and (iv) means of access to crews’ quarters).
information regarding damage to tankers
The Conference recommends that the Governments of the countries to which tankers belong shall keep records of all structural and deck damage to these ships caused by stress of weather, so that information with regard to these matters may be available.
In faith whereof the undersigned have affixed their signatures to the present Act.
[Here follow the signatures on behalf of the Governments signatory to the Final Act.]