Singapore will soon be implementing the 1996 Protocol to the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims of 1976 (as amended in 2012 and effective from 2015), following the passing of the Merchant Shipping (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill.
With the passing of the Bill, Singapore’s limitation of liability regime for maritime claims will be aligned with leading maritime jurisdictions such as England and Hong Kong, which have acceded to the 1996 Protocol as revised with the higher limits effective from 2015. Significantly, the amendments will mean that Singapore’s limitation of liability regime will be more favourable to maritime claimants as compared to that of its closest neighbour, Malaysia, where the applicable limitation of liability regime is that of the 1996 Protocol but without reference to the 2015 limits.
In addition, the Bill also enacts the International Convention on Salvage 1989 as part of Singapore law.
The Bill has recently received assent of the President of Singapore and will become law on a date to be gazetted. A further update will follow thereafter.
Reed Smith LLP is licensed to operate as a foreign law practice in Singapore under the name and style, Reed Smith Pte Ltd (hereafter collectively, “Reed Smith”). Where advice on Singapore law is required, we will refer the matter to and work with Reed Smith’s Formal Law Alliance partner in Singapore, Resource Law LLC, where necessary.